Chapter 316: Anrosh

Chapter 316: Anrosh

Three Gifts

She looked at the window in front of her, hesitating. Her core was filled with Essence, had been for a while now. She could advance. Step into the Evolved Realm. Yet a part of her was scared of it too. More power, as she had learned, didnt always mean more safety. It meant that more powerful people now took notice of you.

She felt Ryun reach out and take her hand, squeeze reassuringly.

We will make sure that you become as strong as you possibly can, he told her.

Anrosh nodded and then advanced before she could change her mind.

Her Qi shifted, it burned with cold, and turned into something more. Her core grew, the Qi quality improved. In one moment, she felt as if her whole body was just a hole in the world, filled with Absolute Cold. And then the change passed over her. A notification flashed in the corner of her eye.

Congratulations, you have reached Early Evolved Realm Stage on the Path of the Sword!

RewardEvolved Form perk! You have stepped into the Realm of the Evolved, as such you now begin to manifest the power of your inner self and soul. You may choose in which way that power manifests.

Evolved Form:Wolf of the Absolute End(Path Perk)

Assume your Evolved form, that of the Wolf of the Absolute End. Your body turns into a giant wolf made out of your Qi aspects, your form gaining the properties of the Qi used (Current-Absolute ColdN/A: everything you touch will lose its heat, lowering its temperature|Gain +15% to wisdom). Gain +80% to all stats. All techniques cost 40% less and you gain +30% to technique speed and your temperature affecting powers are 20% more effective. +15% to endurance and +15% to strength.

Evolved Form: Great Jotun(Path Perk)

Assume your Evolved form, that of the Great Jotun. You turn into a giant, your size increasing by 150%, and you gain +150% to all stats. All powers that scale of strength or endurance are 30% more effective. +15% to endurance and +15% to strength.

Evolved Form: Shield Maiden (Path Perk)

Assume your Evolved form, that of the Shield Maiden. In this form your senses are sharpened, your reactions improved, and your thoughts quickened by 100%. You can anticipate your opponents movements. You gain +50% to all stats and your stamina regenerates 25% faster, all defensive powers are 15% more effective. +10% to strength, +10% to vitality, and +10% to dexterity.

The first one is mine, Ryun said as he read through her choices.

She realized that she didnt know what his Evolved powers even were. He heard the question even before she asked it, and showed her his screens.

He was, as he had always been. Such power, it was amazing. But she could see what he meant. The first choice she had been offered was his Evolved Form. She wasnt surprised, she followed his inspiration, and their Aspects were similar in some ways. It wasnt a choice that was tied to her Path, but his. The second was probably because of her new body. And the last was the choice based on her choices, the defensive nature of her perks and style.

It is the most powerful of the choices, I think, Anrosh said. But I am a fighter. Sword and shield, I dont think that it would even be useful to me. I cant use my main Paths techniques with it no, actually I might be able to. But in it I couldnt use a sword and a shield, no armor. I dont think that I should take it. The Shield Maiden or Jotun are the ones for me.

There are ways for armor and weapons to be used even in that form. But, in the end, they could all be powerful picks, yes. But Anrosh this isnt just about you and your power. It is about a statement, about Face, perception of our sect. And it is about you. About who you want to be. This is a choice more than any other you have had before. Remember what I asked you earlier? Who are you? Think about your choices, and think about who you want to be.

She held his eyes for a long minute, and then she closed them and tried to do as he had said. She was a protector of their Sect no, she protected, but she was more a caretaker, a guide. Ryuns name protected them, Tali protected them. The people themselves protected them. She just stood in between them and everybody else. But who was she? The Shield Maiden would make her that protector, a shield and a sword. The Jotun would give her presence, something that she felt like she lacked. And what would the Wolf of the Absolute End say? It wasnt tied to anything that she did, it was tied to Ryun. But she remembered her answer.

I am a mother, a sister.

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

They were family.

She could be a lesser version of him, it was fine. It would show others, demonstrate to them an image that they would remember. She had no doubt that Ryun would show himself in his Evolved Form, that his actions would instill fear, respect, honor. And every time someone came for the sect, they would meet her. They would see her evolved form and remember him.

Yes, it was about more than usefulness. It was a message, a perception. Face.

You are right, Anrosh said, and she made her choice. It settled inside of her, and she met his eyes again. Can I..?

Ryun nodded, Of course.

She stood, still not wearing any clothes and used her perk.

The change came over her, her body changed, her Qi surged. She grew, her hands hit the ground and her body got covered in red and white fur. Once it was done, she felt powerful, changed, but powerful unlike anything she had ever felt before. She looked down, saw that she towered over Ryun, she had to be almost two stories tall. She looked at her feet, her paws that were freezing the ground where she stood, saw red fur and white, the same as her skin. Red base with white patterns all over it. Her claws were white, crystallized Absolute Cold Qi. Then, she felt something else, she moved on instinct and three shields moved over her, in her eyesight. They were larger than they were in her other form, shields shaped like diamonds, forged out of Qi, floating in the air not attached to anything. That was good, it would help her a lot with the lack of weapons and armor.

She looked back at Ryun as she felt a surge of Qi from him too. Black and violet Qi surged out of him, enveloped him, and grew. A moment after a black wolf that looked like it was made out of mist stood in front of her. She saw the ground cracking, his Void devouring it. The air around him crackled too, as it touched his Qi. He was not flesh and blood like she was, he was a being made out of the Void. But they were the same. His claws and fangs were crystallized and violet Qi, just like hers were white. He was taller than her in this form, but not by much.

Incredible, isnt it? He said in a growly tone of voice.

It is, Anrosh responded, her tone the same. Thank you.

We still havent reached the end, I have one last gift for you, Ryun said and changed back, she followed a moment after.

Once they were both in their usual forms they moved away from the frozen and consumed ground, near the single tree on the hill.

Then, Ryun pulled out a small box and offered it to her. The first, out of three, he said.

Anrosh frowned and took the box, then she opened it. Her eyes widened immediately as she looked at the two rings. Each of them was bone, she could tell, one was white and the other black.

Ebony Ring of the Shrouded Mind

+3500 to Intelligence

When worn your mental stamina regeneration is increased by 250%. Every time you spend mental stamina by using a power you gain -10% to your power cooldowns, to a maximum of 90%. Adaptive, equip, repair, durability.

Part of Suit of Spectrum Set; If all five pieces are worn activate Spectrum Survival.

Spectrum Celestial Dragon Trousers (leggings)

+1000 to Endurance

+1000 to Vitality

+1500 to Wisdom

When worn your mental stamina regeneration is increased by 250%. Every time you spend mental stamina by using a power you gain +50% to any special damage you deal to a maximum of 250%. Adaptive, equip, repair, durability.

Part of Suit of Spectrum Set; If all five pieces are worn activate Spectrum Survival.

Spectrum Celestial Dragon Boots (boots)

+1000 to Endurance

+1000 to Vitality

+1500 to Dexterity

When worn your stamina regeneration is increased by 250%. Every time you spend stamina by using a power you gain +10% to your physical speed to a maximum of 90%. Adaptive, equip, repair, durability.

Part of Suit of Spectrum Set; If all five pieces are worn activate Spectrum Survival.

Suit of Spectrum Set:

Spectrum Survival

When all five set pieces of armor are worn you gain Spectrum Survival buff.

Spectrum Survival: Once a day you may designate an Essence for your armor to adapt to. Once chosen, the armor will change color and you will gain a 95% resistance to that Essence. Resistance to hybrid and related Essence will be lesser depending on the closeness to the Essence chosen, but never less than 30%.

Put it on, Ryun urged her.

She realized that she had just been staring at it for the past few minutes. Eternal armor, an Eternal Armor Set. How much power was this going to give her? She reached to the armor and used equip. It flashed and then it was around her. She closed her eyes as she felt the power of it, felt it ask something of her, an Essence choice.

Pick something, Ryun said.

She wondered what she should pick for her first try, and then she spoke. Kinetic, she said, settling on the simplest. Physical damage, or the energy that was transferred on impact.

The scales of her armor froze, the colors stopped moving, and then the scales rippled changing color. A few moments later every scale was gray in color.

Ryun walked over and punched her in the chest. She was more shocked from him doing it than from the result. Nothing happened, it might as well had been a tap.

This is incredible, Anrosh said.

It is yours.

I cant believe it, Anrosh added.

Ryun chuckled.

What is adaptive? Anrosh asked, she had never seen that on an armor.

Ah, that is another very useful addition, Ryun said. Why dont you try and enter your Evolved Form?

Anrosh blinked. No way.

All armor in the Infinite Realm could change shape, when it was first put on by a person. But only the armor given by the Framework. It adapted to its user. Crafted armor had to be made to size. This she did as Ryun asked, and triggered her perk again.

She grew, changed, and her armor grew with her. Changing form. It fitted around her, shrouding her wolf form just as well as it had her ordinary one. She looked at it, in disbelief.

That is so awesome, Anrosh whispered, and changed back.

Yes, it is, Ryun added.

Thank you, for everything, she told him.

Ryun put a hand on her shoulder. You never need to thank me. This is what family does.

She agreed.