284. Grand Reinforcement

Before starting the Trial, Rakna inhaled and made a conscious effort to trigger Crystal Sight at its highest possible output. For a split second, the golden light shone all around him and two crosses even momentarily manifested outside his body before being sucked in by his eyes.

The world slowed down and he used his inhuman vision to look at himself from every angle. Then, he grunted and a fiery aura enveloped him. His hair and fur became crimson, and he observed the transformation millisecond by millisecond.

When his eyes flashed red under the golden crosses, signaling the complete shift, he had already found what he was looking for. “I knew it,” he spoke with a pronounced inflection befitting of his volcanic state. “That guy was right; whenever Obsidian Blood activates, infernity comes out of me for less than a second and converts my magic and physical attributes. I knew I had felt something inside me respond to the demonic energy when I used the demonization…”

“{Hm, you should indeed have felt something,}” Fray commented. “{Infernal and demonic energy are fundamentally different things, but it’s not to the point that parallels cannot be drawn. After all, if you asked a random person what the difference between a ‘demon’ and a ‘devil’ is, they would chalk it up to being the same thing; that’s how similar they are.}”

“It’s fucking confusing, that’s what it is…” Rakna spat and the storyteller coughed.

“{Ah yes, I almost forgot that you lack eloquence in this state…}”

“What annoys me is that I can’t control it,” the therian continued. “Whether it’s demonic or infernal energy; one just warps my mind, and the other swallows it… I guess it comes down to this in the end; I need to Ascend my volcanic element.”

“{Huh?}” Fray was confused. “{Why did it come to that all of a sudden?}”

“You don’t remember what happened with my Hoarfrost Star or what?” Rakna retorted and before saying anything else, he quietly reverted to his normal mental state after igniting a cigarette. 

He huffed then promptly solidified his soul power into circuits. He activated Founding Intuition and let his mind plunge into the knowledge of Egregore. Soul dust gushed out of his body as it was being burned to fuel the skill.

“When my element gained the Crystal aspect of my Kzanaria, my mind was stabilized,” he said as he translated the vague feelings given to him by his skill. 

“Although the System didn’t show it, I felt a change occur with Obsidian Blood. If I’m not wrong, if I borrow the Crystal Sage’s power through my opposite elements, and then combine them, I might be able to overcome a long-standing wall in my soul,” he declared and groaned, closing one eye and consuming more of his soul power to get a specific answer. 

“From that point onward…” He paused, struggling to speak for a short moment, and then squinted his eyes. “…gathering the Seven Sins should come easier. Once I possess all of them, I will be able to become a Devil by kick starting the infernity with demonic energy… and with that, the crystal will be filled… and the ston--!” He abruptly stopped and clawed at his throat as if he was trying to restrain something. 

The soul circuits were forcefully closed afterward and Founding Intuition was terminated.

[Rakna?!] Ceres yelled in worry as the therian wobbled and collapsed on one knee. She had been completely taken off guard by the unexpected development.

“Rakna--!” A voice cried out from outside of the Trial zone and Rakna waved at his group to stop them from coming. He quickly recovered his bearings and sent them a brief telepathic message to tell them everything was fine.

“{Did you just…?}” Fray spoke in disbelief.

The therian grunted and stood up. “I was forced out of the Intuition. I guess trying to dig into the Third Stage of the Origin Flux for my Clairvoyance was a bit too rash.”

[The Solon Intent of the Firmament Monarchs…] Ceres whispered. [That would mean you were about to form a prophecy about your future based on Egregore’s knowledge.]

“{Good God, it’s one thing after the other with you,}” Fray sighed.

“…that’s enough chatting. In short, I have to become ‘Satan’, then a ‘Devil’, and by some lucky stuff that I most likely won’t understand, I’ll get some skill that might be related to my described death in that book,” Rakna uttered and pressed on the button to start the Trial, causing the sky to swirl.

“{What a casual tone for such an outrageous statement…}” The fabulist couldn’t even react.

While the meteor was on its way, Rakna opened his status in full for the first time in a while. His eyes scanned the words and numbers to refresh his mind about his current abilities.

❮ ◈ ❯

Name: Rakna Xiorra Blade

Age: 18 | Level: 126 (590/1 386)

Race: Alkahestic Nine-Tailed Werewolf

Path: Nine-Tailed Werewolf

Sub-Path: Nephilim [126/250]

Affiliation: Throne of Glory (Member) – Obsidian Throne (Leader)

Titles: Legendary Slayer – Legendary Wolf Emperor – Divinity Slayer – Treasure Hunter – Nemesis of the Abyss – Dungeon Bane – Calamity Hunter – Dimension Breaker – The Kind Demon’s Kin – True Imperial Designation – Chalice of Wishes – Limitless Traveler – Sovereign Monarch of Firmament – Emperor of a Solitary Land – Anti-Divinity – Elysian Pariah

Potential: S+ | Host Rank: X | Ascent: I

Normal Attributes:

STR: 125.2 | END: 121.4

SPD: 125.2 + 12.5 | DEX: 118.4

INT: 119.2 | LCK: 9

Werewolf Attributes:

STR: 202.8 | END: 196.7

SPD: 223 | DEX: 191.8

INT: 193.1 | LCK: 9

Available Volatile Points: 0

Available Attribute Points: 200.8 (Ascent Correction: 100.4)

Available Skill Points: 3

Normal Statistics:

STA: 921/941 | MP: 5521/5644

SWI: 700 | AGI: 733

SEN: 3410 | ATC: 630

ATT: 1265 + 20% Frost | DEF: 1171.28

MA: 470 | MR: 74.1/min

LP: 4680/5000

Werewolf Statistics:

STA: 1405 | MP: 7122

SWI: 1082 | AGI: 1012

SEN: 5257 | ATC: 1016

ATT: 1873 | DEF: 1535

MA: 714 | MR: 91.9/min

LP: 4680/5 000

Proficiencies:

- Rune Smith (Lv. 21 ⋆⋆)

- Soul Sense (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Mana Sense (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Mana Control (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Magic Craft (Lv.19 ⋆)

- Flight (Lv. 17 ⋆)

- Arms Master (Lv. 15 ⋆)

- Sunken Ripple of Rupture (Lv. 15 ⋆)

- Weaver of The Material (Lv.12 ⋆)

- Tracking (Lv. Ex)

- Lunar Control (Lv. Ex)

- Spiritual Intent Control (Lv. Max)

…

Magic Skills:

- Hoarfrost Star Magic (Lv. 17 ⋆) => [Hoarfrost Star Manifestation (T.0); Natcattiram Carivu (T.2); Hoarfrost Nova (T.3); Natcattira Vīḻcci (T.4), Natcattiram Cataract (T.5), Hoarfrost Blizzard (T.6), Natcattira Kirīṭam (T.6), Natcattiram Viḻuntatu (T.6), Star Puppetry (T.10 – T.1); Forger of The Stars (T.10 – T.1); Star Monarch (T.10 – T.1); Hoarfrost Mist (T.10)]

- Mystic Hoarfrost Star Magic (Lv. Ex) => [Uniform]

- Sloth Magic (Lv. Ex) => [Morféas Efiáltis (T.8), Path of Absolution (T.9)]

- Union Magic (Sloth + Hoarfrost) – Frosted Sloth => [Niflhel Niflheim (T.7); Tūkkamum (T.8)]

Cognitive Skills:

- Absolution of Belphegor (Lv. UEX ⋆⋆⋆)

- Pain Immunity (Lv-)

- Mind Immunity (Lv-)

-Fatigue Immunity (Lv-)

- Soul’s Decree (Lv. 29 ⋆⋆)

- Fear Resistance (Lv. 22 ⋆⋆)

- Primal Soul Core (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Frost Soul Aura (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Damage Resistance (Lv. 19 ⋆)

- Death Perception (Lv. Max)

- Mana Coils (Lv.8)

…

Spontaneous Skills:

- Awakening of Divinity (-)

- Empirical Tribulation (-)

- All Virtues Shall Sloth (UEX ⋆⋆⋆)

- The Mask of Phobos (UEX ⋆⋆⋆)

- Kaleidoscope Crystal Sight (UEX ⋆⋆⋆)

- Rift Shuttle (EX ⋆⋆⋆)

- Tail Clone (EX ⋆⋆⋆)

- Quintuple Burst (Lv-)

- Celestial Gate (Lv-)

- Eonian Gate (Lv-)

- Grand Reinforcement (Lv.21 ⋆⋆)

- Star Flash (Lv. Ex ⋆)

- Soul Scourge (Lv. 17 ⋆)

- Dead Men Tell (Lv. 17 ⋆)

- Call of Hounds (Lv.16 ⋆)

- Stealth (Lv. 15 ⋆)

- Artzpul (Lv. 15 ⋆)

- Claws (Lv. Ex)

- Legendary Imperial Guard (Lv. Ex)

- Raise Undead (Lv. Ex)

- Gigantism (Lv. Ex)

- Soul Drain (Lv. Ex)

- Gradation Hex Buffer (Lv. Ex)

…

Path Skills:

- Moon Shine of the Nine Moons => [Lunar Ascendant; Moon Howl; Lunar Drop.]

- Lunae Cosmos

- Valkal of The Reverse Side

Nirvana Skills:

- The Harvester

- The Scavenger

- Ascension of the Titan

- Ireful Descent

- Wings of Spatial Collapse

- Ōnāy Kaṭaiciyākac Cirikkum – The Wolf Shall Have The Last Laugh

Unique or Racial Traits:

- Wrathful Obsidian Blood

- Shape Shift

- True Smell of the Wolf God

- Luquila’s Wings

- Void Breathing

- Eye of Symphony

- Prima Alkahest Materia Physique => [Integrated: Shuttle Specter Physique; Standard Regeneration; Internalized Magic Circuits.]

- Chalice of the Crystal Wolf

❮ ◈ ❯

“{As usual, it is a status that could make one faint.}”

“Wait, I’m 18?” Rakna blinked.

“{…that’s what you focus on?}”

The therian ignored Fray and made a simple calculation in his head in the split of a second. “Oh, I see now. Hey, Ceres, how does the System count age?”

[By how much time they have experienced,] she answered swiftly, already aware of why he was asking that.

“I suppose that makes sense. I wasn’t that close to my birthday before entering the System but I did spend half a year inside the simulation. It’s kinda funny now that I think about it; my body has surpassed literal laws of nature at this point, but it’s not even fully grown. I might even still have a few inches to go to reach my full height.”

[But you could make it happen,] Ceres commented.

Rakna smiled faintly. “True. If I wanted to, I could even turn into an eighty-year-old man or a ten-year-old child. But I don’t like changing my appearance like that. If changes occur naturally, I don’t care, but consciously redefining my features feels wrong. Especially if it’s for something as childish as wanting to look older. At the end of the day, with a body like this, which could be anything, I have to be careful or one day, I fear I won't ever feel like it’s me anymore.”

[I see…] She sounded pensive. [I think I understand.]

He let out a chuckle and focused on his status. “Let’s see now, what should I use for this Trial?” He mused like a child deciding what game he should play. This was how trivial this Trial was for him. 

He hadn’t gained many status elements during the past few weeks, but he had massively increased their level. Actually, he would even say that his array of skills had decreased because of the several Skill Synthesizes he had performed. In total, it amounted to five.

The first was a combination of ‘Blacksmithing’ and ‘Runecraft’; ‘Rune Smith’. It was a culmination of proficiencies that involved weapon making and rune creation. It’s a skill that vastly improved his forged items and he even used a Skill Point to push it to the Demi-God stage.

The second synthesis had formed the proficiency ‘Magic Craft’. It incorporated the three essential pillars of magic knowledge; ‘Magic Theory’, ‘Magic Circle Theory,’ and ‘Magic Formation Theory’. Overall, it had made his magical knowledge more solid in his mind and easier to unravel.

The third, ‘Weaver of the Material’, was a rather common one despite its grand-sounding name. It combined manufacturing techniques such as woodworking or even sewing. 

The fourth was ‘Damage Resistance’, made from three different kinds of Resistance skills. In this case, they were ‘Dimensional’, ‘Physical’, and ‘Magical Resistance’. The advantage of this skill was obvious; instead of encompassing only one kind of damage, it applied to everything.

The fifth and last one was ‘Grand Reinforcement’. He had gotten this skill in a stroke of luck after learning a skill that dropped in the 80th Plateau. It was a rare one called ‘Astral Reinforcement’. It could affect the non-physical and had a wide spectrum of applications. He then synthesized it with the three other Reinforcement skills he had; ‘Hoarfrost’, ‘Projectile’, and ‘Weapon Reinforcement’.

Overall, ‘Grand Reinforcement’ was the best skill he had learned. Since it had been made with the special breed of Reinforcement of his Star affinity, it turned out rather unique. Not only could he reinforce himself and anything he touched, but they would also transform into star energy as his body did.

“Well, I guess I could use that,” Rakna mumbled as he looked up at the meteor finally falling toward him. For some reason, he could see that it was a bit stronger than the others and it also had taken a bit more time to arrive. “Really… why are the Trials always harder when it’s me doing them… I swear, I’ll spank my so-called little sister one day,” he kidded and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again, his body erupted with an aura of frost. The temperature fell so fast and drastically that the air confined by the Trial barrier turned foggy. Where Rakna stood, patches of frost appeared on the ground.

Then, he clenched his right hand and his nanomites squirmed as he attempted something he had used some time to perfect recently. Allegro and Andante glowed and fused with the Eion material of his flesh, and after a moment, his skin shone silver and became as smooth as metal, with pulses of cyan energy coursing through it.

This was his experiment; to compact his nanites to the maximum with the help of his defensive items’ perks. In this case, his sleeve and glove got temporarily sucked in by his body to bolster his arm’s defense and power. The downsides were that it inflicted damage to his items and the less austere perks of his items couldn’t be used. If used on his entire body, it would make it harder to move properly and it also restrained some of his traits and skills.

“Not a really effective technique honestly… but it does have the side-bonus of boosting reinforcing magic,” Rakna commented and promptly transformed into a werewolf. He didn’t hold back on his Gigantism and nearly reached seven meters in height.

His arm was still transformed, but with his fur and claws recolored silver and cyan. It felt uncanny because of its mechanical-looking appearance.

Rakna clenched his fist a few times and smiled faintly. He lowered his body as the air around him began to be affected by the meteor’s heat. Two pairs of majestic wings sprouted from his back and started shimmering.

He put one hand on the ground and charged his mana. “[Artzpul,]” he intoned and in the blink of an eye, a sonic wave tore through the air and a small crater was dug.

The werewolf’s figure disappeared and in the next second, a collision was heard above, followed by a shockwave. Everyone spectating gawked as they saw a winged blue dot going head-on against the meteor.

“He’s… pushing it back,” Evelyn muttered in awe.

The meteorite had literally stopped falling and the flames had been extinguished by the cold aura of the Hoarfrost Star. Now, it just looked like Rakna was carrying a small mountain.

Rakna snorted as his silver arm was buried inside the stone. If he wanted, just like this, he could let the meteor fall harmlessly and complete the Trial. “But that wouldn’t be fun now, would it?” He jested and activated one of his newest skills. 

“[Crystals of Frost Abide the Star’s Wrath…]” He intoned the first line of his Cōl Lāli to bolster his strength and narrowed his eyes. “[Grand Reinforcement.]”

A large amount of mana flowed through the metallic arm and then spread throughout the meteor with a visible net-like pattern. Rakna immediately smiled as he felt the meteor become lighter. He could finally relax his wings that had been supporting the weight and soon enough, it was as if the whole mass was gone.

Rakna pulled his arm out and calmly let himself be dragged by gravity. He landed on the ground with his wings gone, his werewolf form dismissed, and his arm back to normal. 

Meanwhile, the meteor was simply floating. It wasn’t falling or even going up, it just remained still and airborne while releasing a faint blue light.

“Aah, well, I’d say that worked out pretty well,” the therian said and popped his neck. He pointed his hand at the meteor above him and created a vacuum of energy in his palm. The giant rock was promptly deconstructed into millions of motes of light that were rapidly sucked in by his hand.

Rakna grunted as he siphoned everything in a few seconds and when it was done, the momentum made him lower his arm and close his fuming hand.

❮ ◈ ❯

90th Plateau: Survival Trial Completed!

You have gained the right to leave the 90th Plateau.

Do you wish to exercise it now? You have 26 206 hours to make your decision.

Yes/No

❮ ◈ ❯

The Trial barrier was taken down right after and the therian’s companions were dumbfounded. In all truthfulness, they already expected something incredible from him. It wasn’t new. But what he had just done was a completely different story.

“That’s…” Nyx held her chin. “He reinforced the meteor and turned it into Star Energy… To convert it fully, it would undoubtedly require several thousand units of mana and monstrous control. It’s rather crude and inefficient… but Rakna has the necessary talent to drain the energy afterward to recover the spent mana or even use it to fuel his spells.”

“Incredible… I could have never guessed Elemental Reinforcement could be used that way. It feels like some kind of advanced energetic transmutation,” Evelyn muttered. “I wonder if I could do the same thing…”

“Of course,” Rakna said as he appeared next to them. He smiled at the succubus. “My reinforcement may be a bit special, but you can probably do the same with your Sub-Path’s transmutation.”

“All I know is that it looked crazy,” Allan said with a snort.

“Well, I don’t think it was that amazing, honestly,” the therian shrugged. “Each of us has distinct ways of dealing with that thing. For example, Allan, you decided to withstand it, but you could have destroyed it with your fists if you had wanted. You could also have used Void Magic to erase any threat in you direct vicinity. It’s all a matter of perspective.”

“Indeed,” Higure nodded with an impish smile. “After all, the only reason we can’t help ourselves whenever you do something is just that you’re a chronic show-off.”

“…” Rakna pursed his lips at that and everyone laughed.

“That aside, what happened to you there before you started?” Allan asked with a scowl. “You gave us a fright.”

“Hm, long story short, I was a bit too greedy and tried to look into the future,” Rakna said casually and tilted his head toward his friend. “Kind of backfired. Turns out it’s hard.”

“…”

“…”

“…no shit.”

AhraManyu

I'll be honest, I don't really like how this chapter turned out. A bit too shallow; a bit too scattered. But I guess it's probably because I wrote it while I was trying to power through a slump. A chapter's quality drops massively when a slump forces you to work on it over the course of several days without being capable to finish it. Then again, most people probably don't notice it.

Also, it's been a while since you've seen Rakna's full status, so enjoy.