Continuing onward to head towards the Tempest Ruin, Aurus decided to check the Ally system he obtained not long after he evolved into an A-grade Inanimate.
"Thanks to my early-game stage memories being unsealed, I can finally utilize this system to its highest potential," Aurus couldn't help but mumble as he remembered the possibilities of the system.
The Ally system was an extension of the Existence Evolution System in ISE, in a way that the combination of allies you had allowed you to boost your power. The possibilities were endless, but there was only one rule needed to follow.
You can only have 4 allies at most.
Indeed, the game didn't care if you had allies at the Animate, Transcendent, or even God level while still being an Inanimate. To be honest, that just added more flexibility to the system than constraints.
According to what Aurus remembered, there was once a player who focused on the path of an assassin, mastering stealth. He then obtained allies that allowed him to boost his attack power, garnering him the moniker of the Sure Kill Assassin in the early stages of the game.
There was also one player who was a mage that yearned to become a gatling gun of spells. She then sought out allies that helped her with SP recovery and SP storage, allowing her to fulfill just that.
After reminiscing for a bit, Aurus then commanded the system, "Open the ally gacha."
Ding!
In an instant, a colorful screen appeared in front of Aurus' field of vision. This screen had two buttons that could be clicked, two buttons that were extremely familiar to gacha players.
________
Ally Gacha:
[Normal Gacha — 500 SP for 1 pull]
[Premium Gacha — 50 Life and Will points for 1 pull]
________
"Ah, the dreaded normal and premium gacha setup," Aurus couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the requirements for the gachas. The normal gacha needed a huge amount of SP that Aurus couldn't even get after evolving his Anima creation to the S-grade.
"Wait a second..." At that instant, Aurus felt that something was off. He then opened his skill screen and couldn't help but click his tongue.
"System, evolve [Purified Spiritas SP Vessel] into an S-grade skill that pursues purity," Aurus commanded after noticing that his main SP storage skill didn't evolve. From this, Aurus had a hunch that only 5 skills could be evolved at one time and kept it in his mind.
Ding!
'[Purified Spiritas SP Vessel] has been evolved to [Supreme Purity Spiritas SP Vessel].'
Aurus then let out a sigh of relief before looking at the ally gacha screen one more time.
"I can do the normal gacha once I evolve my Anima creation and SP storage skill to X-grade while the premium gacha..."
A glint flashed in Aurus' nonexistent eyes. "It's possible at my current grade."
Without sparing any thought, he activated his [Tempest Burst] skill that only lasted 10 seconds and darted off towards the Tempest Ruin, hoping to find at least an A-grade to kill.
...
Around 10 hours later, with the help of his [Spirit Detection (Wind Variant)] spell being used every few minutes or so, Aurus finally detected a nearby enemy he could use as a sacrifi—target.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, Aurus turned towards the direction of the enemy and rolled for over 50 meters before getting a closer look at the enemy he would be facing.
The enemy was a branch rather than a young tree like Arogancia. Nonetheless, it was more bulky than the A-grade Branch Formosus Aurus fought before he evolved, and it exuded a terrifying aura that made it feel like a tiger hunting out for prey.
Making sure to not get caught by the enemy, Aurus then commanded, "[Species Analysis]."
Ding!
Not long after, a screen containing the information of the branch was shown in front of Aurus.
________
[Exos (Branch Forminosus — Belhazard)]
Existence Level: Inanimate (S)
Level: 12/20
HP: 750/750
SP: 135/135
Stats:
[Toughness]: 95
[Thickness]: 82
[Density]: 130
Skills:
[Final Blow], [Relentless Bloodthirst], other skills are uncheckable due to [Species Analysis] skill being low leveled
________
"Holy heck. At level 12, that's some high attack power," Aurus couldn't help but blurt out. As he continued to check, he noticed that some of the enemy's skills were available for him to see, unlike at Arogancia's case where none could be seen.
"Is it because Arogancia is already near the X-grade? Then again, I'm surprised that [Species Analysis] allows me to check the information of S-grade species. I should try it out an A-grade sometime."
After being finished on blabbering about the wonderful effects of [Species Analysis], Aurus gradually went closer and closer to the branch as he started to conjure a spell using his newly evolved Spell Core.
The spell that was being conjured by the spell core this time was unlike the [Spirit Wind Bolt] as the magic circle formed within the Spell Core was more detailed than before, letting anyone know that it would pack more power than any magic spell Aurus shot before.
As he was preparing this spell, a silver flame started to envelop Aurus' body, signalling that Aurus was exchanging his SP for power using the [Spirit Energy Augmentation] skill. With the help of his newly evolved Anima creation skill that basically tripled the amount of specialized Anima he could use, the amount of SP Aurus had at his disposal was basically his maximum.
Ding!
'[Spirit Energy Augmentation] has leveled up.'
'The exchange of SP into power has reached its limit, boosting the user's power by 70%.'
With the silver flame surrounding his body roaring at an all-time high, Aurus then shot the spell he conjured towards the branch as he shouted to gain the attention of the enemy.
"[Spirit Wind Ball]!"
Ding!
________
[Spirit Wind Ball]
One of the higher level 0 spells unlocked by evolving the Spell Core to the Low grade, it condenses the bolt shape of the [Spirit Wind Bolt] into a small ball, allowing it to have more power while maintaining its controllability.
SP Cost: 50 SP
Cooldown: 20 seconds
________
"Ngh?" Hearing a voice all of the sudden, the branch named Exos turned around to the direction of the voice it heard, only to be hit by a ball of energy.
Bang!
"Grah!" Exos was gravely injured from the ball's impact, clouding its rationality with its emotions as it was of course, a Belhazard, otherwise known in fantasy terms as a Berserker.
Ding!
'Aurus has dealt 595 HP damage to [Exos].'
"Hoh, that's a lot of damage," Aurus couldn't help but say, remembering that one specific commercial of tape. Nonetheless, he couldn't stay for too long on remembering that commercial as he was up a Belhazard, a Berserker. And Aurus definitely knew that a Belhazard was at its strongest...on its final legs.
"You hit me? You die!" Exos, the branch that Aurus just attacked, sensed Aurus' presence and instantly darted towards there thanks to a passive skill that boosted all of its stats whenever its HP decreased.
"Take this!" In an instant, Exos shot a splinter towards Aurus, which Aurus tried to dodge, only to end up being grazed by it a little.
Ding!
'You have received 43 HP damage from [Exos].'
Aurus couldn't help but suck in a bit of the air around him since if that splinter hit him head on, he would die. His stats were already boosted by 70% thanks to the [Spirit Energy Augmentation] skill but it was still nothing compared to a Belhazard's passive skill?
"As expected from an S-grade," Aurus couldn't help but say as he widened the gap between them. Exos didn't want that to happen so it chased Aurus, only to be hit by an energy bolt.
Bang!
Using the time he widened the gap between them, Aurus started to conjure the other offensive skill he had that wasn't on cooldown, [Spirit Wind Bolt]. Thankfully, his enemy took the bait and the bolt hit the branch head on.
Ding!
'Aurus has dealt 372 HP damage to [Exos].'
"Yes! It's finally dead!" Aurus couldn't help but scream in joy as he remembered that Exos only had 750 HP. He had already dealt damage over that amount so Exos was bound to be dead, right?
"Grrrrhhh..." On its last legs thanks to one of the passive skills of a Belhazard, it was able to survive Aurus' attack with 1 HP remaining. Without a choice, it shouted with anger, "[Relentless Bloodthirst]!"
Woooonnnngggg....
In an instant, the HP bar above its head that was almost completely black, was instantly filled back up with to full health. Not only that, the branch was also covered with a red aura that exuded killing intent and instilled fear into every being that came into contact with it.
Aurus looked at this and couldn't help but shudder as he almost forgot the invincibility passive Belhazards have. Without hesitation, he activated [Tempest Burst] once more as he wanted to truly widen the gap between them. But of course, Exos didn't allow that.
"Rgahhhh!!! [Final Blow]!" Exos then shot out a crimson colored splinter towards Aurus that was moving at a speed faster than before. Thanks to Aurus activating [Tempest Burst], with his quick reflexes, he was able to dodge it in the nick of time.
Of course, Exos got angry at that, rolling towards Aurus at a speed incomparable to its speed from before. Using this time where Exos was rolling, Aurus conjured a Spirit Spear from one of the floating Animas and imbued into it an intent filled with engulfment and well...total domination.
This current Spirit Spear was the Acceptance form of the [Five Melancholy Spirit Spear] skill. It consumed all of the user's SP in exchange for insurmountable levels of attack power. With Aurus' maximum SP amount already exceeding 300 thanks to him evolving his Anima creation skill and SP storage skill, it was bound to deal a lot of damage.
Bang!
"[Spirit Spear: Acceptance]!"
Like a shooting star, the Spirit Spear darted towards Exos who was still rolling towards Aurus and pierced through it like butter. Exos noticed it too late, as its body was already crumbling after the spear pierced through its body. It looked at Aurus like a mortal enemy and screamed out "I can't die like this! Grahhh!!!" before it died. It was still noticeable that its rationality was still clouded by rage.
As for Aurus, the green and red blobs of light that came with every kill was absorbed into his body before continuing to roll towards the Tempest Ruin as he activated his [Spirit Detection (Wind Variant)] spell every once in a while.
Ding!
'Aurus has dealt 1,488 HP damage to [Exos].'
'Experience +150'
'2 Life Points have been obtained from Exos' remains.'
'7 Will Points have been obtained from Exos' remains.'
'[Treader of Two Paths] and [Life and Will Vessel Manipulation] has leveled up.'