Para was startled by the sound of glass shattering. Turning towards the sound she saw Wrock standing.
She blinked, for she swore she saw the eyes of a Phoenix staring at her. However it was momentary, making her think it was her eyes playing a trick.
Wrock scrolled through the system notifications. Raising an eyebrow at a few, "I always thought the game system was restrictive, but it seems I was wrong."
-Large Increase in Stats -Titles -Level +30> Wrock eyed his hands, green veins slowly spreading across his arms. A wry smile formed on his face, "Haven't you learned already?" A blue flame rolled down his arms, erasing the curse. The flame then collected in his palm, as if he was forming a fireball. Wrock clenched his hand into a fist and crushed the light blue fire. He then looked around. Spotting Para he thanked, "My thanks for watching over me." "It's no big deal! But uh. . . is everything alright?" "Couldn't be better, why?" "I mean you were absorbed by Perina?" "Aye, lost all my Skills and my War Sight. But it proved to be an opportunity as well." "I'm sorry?" "No need to apologize! I do have to ask though, mind telling me where Akiol is?" "I don't know. He left saying he needed to do something." "Hm, alright then. I'll go search for him myself." "The door is over there?" Wrock was already at the door before Para could blink. He paused momentarily, "I'll have to readjust as well. Tell the blonde guy he has my thanks, I'll be sure to pay him back soon." "I-I will!" Wrock promptly left, closing the door behind him he dusted off his clothes, "Alright, let's see if it's the same." A pair of wings made of a light blue flame sprouted from Wrock's back. They flapped once and he was lifted high into the sky. Feeling the Spirit course throughout his body he couldn't help but smile, "I almost want to say it's nostalgic. Not sure how this game is capable of mimicking the feeling so well, but not mana?" Wrock skimmed the land, he had a feeling Akiol knew answers to his questions. But never said anything. Akiol always kept quite about things major things that troubled him. As if determined to solve it himself. Wrock had thought that perhaps with the conflicting behavior of James, that bad habit would have been suppressed. But it seems like it hasn't. "Can't see him from here, guess I'll do it manually then!" The wings on his back vanished and Wrock fell. He felt the wind resistance against his back, the piercing sound in his ear. As he was moments away from hitting the ground the wings reappeared and Wrock began to fly across the ground. "Now, where would Akiol go?" ~ ~ ~ Aura flickered around Akiol's body. He sat crosslegged, immersing himself in his thoughts. What was Aura? This strange energy that proved to be essential in Akiol's fighting ability. It originated as a Skill, a Berserk Skill. Yet throughout his experience it evolved into something much more. Capable of buffing his stats to the extreme, by switching catalysts it could go even further. Its effects seemed to have no downside to them. Compared to just about every Berserk Skill, Aura reigned as a superior option due to the lack of aftereffects. A 'get strong free' card that just lingered in Akiol's deck. What was Aura? When learning from Stars' previous wielder Akiol gained a glimpse of the game's past. A world where Aura was the most used source of energy. This was further confirmed with the developer discussion Akiol had bargained for. Aura was not some obscure source of energy that very few had access to. At least not before. With the conversation with the God of the planet, the origin of A World's Legacy proved to be troublesome. Leading to more questions without answers. If Aura was well known during the 'development' of A World's Legacy. Then what exactly was it? Why was it so prominent without it being intended to be as so? Why did the NPCs of long ago use Aura so much? What was Aura? After Akiol had somewhat mastered the strengthening form of Aura it was around that time he came across a Strand of Existence. An object that confused the developers, but intrigued the game's gods. Upon collecting one he was stripped of the game system, removing the supports and restrictions of it. Granting him a unique freedom in the game. Akiol frowned, it couldn't have been a coincidence. For the Strand to have appeared as he was learning Aura. Even if the way he saw it was through an obscure means, capable only by combining his previous World's knowledge and the game's, it shouldn't have been a coincidence. Something that major couldn't be a coincidence. Akiol's eyes opened slightly. Opening his palm the Strand of Existence floated in it. A process he was familiar with when he experimented with it. Although his tests always ended in failures. If Aura was somehow linked to the Strand. . . Akiol was incapable of moving Aura outside his body. However he was capable of condensing it to a body part, although that was the extent of his control. Perhaps if he condensed his Aura to his palm it could make contact with the Strand. Slowly the Aura flowed to his hand, like water being funneled. As it all condensed on his palm Akiol increased the intensity slightly. As the Aura touched the Strand it was rapidly sucked into it. Akiol watched as the flowing Aura drained from his palm. The Strand began to glow brightly and Akiol's vision turned white. . . . A figure, it stood with their arms behind their back. Like a renowned elder standing casually. Soon, a voice entered Akiol's ears. "To my predecessors, this is our final act." Many of the words were lost, muffled by an interference. As if being silenced. "We've reached a point of no return-" "I leave you fragments, these will. . ." "May they assist your journey, and help you in. . ." Akiol's mind turned groggy, but for the final bit he was faced with crystal clear words. "I grant you the knowledge of Aura for this fragment." The figure hesitated, "You. . . learned Aura to this extent already?" Akiol was dumbfounded, was the figure sentient? They continued, "The Catalyst Form, capable of boosting one's abilities to greater heights. You must be familiar with this name already if you learned it to this point." The figure's head lifted slightly, "Is our legacy still alive? Or have you collected other forms of fragments? No matter, I shall still grant you the knowledge you seek. The Catalyst Form, it was not always known as that. Rather, it was named the Form of Fortification. It's only purpose was to boost its wielder's strength. For such a power, it would need a catalyst. But this, you already know." The figure lifted one of their hands, "The Form of Fortification is not the technique you should have started with. It will be hard to turn to the more proper technique after you've used this Form for so long. However relying on the Form of Fortification will prove to be. . ." A flickering Aura appeared at the tip of the figure's finger. They flicked it towards Akiol and it entered his head without resistance. They then returned to their normal stance, "Due to the lack of time I am unable to guide you properly. Instead I have directly granted you the knowledge of the Form of Growth. I suggest you follow this path from now on, and use the Form of Fortification only when you must." They sighed, "The other fragments are. . ." The words began to turn murky again. "Before you go I must ask, please-" Akiol was brought back to normal. His mind filled with information he never knew. It constantly rotated in his head. As if telling him, forcing him, to remember. It took a few minutes before the information calmed, he remembered it back to back, if that was even the correct phrase for what he did. He frowned, something like that wasn't something you could just teach. No wonder why he was unable to properly use Aura. He blinked to help clear his thoughts, looking at his palm his eyes suddenly widened. For there was two Strands!