Shimmers of gold and silver, the sparkle of many colors scattered on the floor, pillars of pure marble and quartz, tiles just as beautiful. The room was filled with peace, the winds blowing and whispering like music in the air. Oh, what a serene scene it wasー
""Ehh?!!" ［Grey and Yuna］
Well, it was a serene place until two voices shook the place, traces of surprise and disbelief laced all over them. Two faces were contorted and baffled, lips trembling ever so slightly, as they looked at the glowing figure in front of them.
In contrast, God remained unfazed. He has no face nor visible expressions, but one could easily tell he was unfazed... Or rather, he was confused why the two before him were confused. Logic has flown off to space.
"W-Wait! Abilities can be improved?! Why do I not know of this?! I thought you gave me all the knowledge I needed?!" ［Grey］
"I did. But your abilities are already of the highest grade. I saw no point in giving you knowledge about this. And... Why would ratings exist if it couldn't be improved any further? Come on now, Young Man, that's just common sense." ［God］
No, it wasn't common sense at all, or rather, the common sense between Gods and mortals are so vast that they might as well be two entirely different things. Grey and Yuna were in a culture shock, on a completely different level.
And while God may have a point, he could only remain frozen and speechless at his thoughtlessness. It was once again why he realized why he once called him an "Idiot God". He's the only one who surpasses him and Yuna in the lack of common sense.
'Haah... This idiotic God, really is...' ［Grey］
Though it would have been better if they'd learned it earlier, it was still a good thing that they now learnt that there was a way to further strengthen themselves. Just thinking about the endless possibilities makes their hearts beat in excitement.
"Then, does that mean there's a way to acquire abilities as well?" ［Grey］
"There is, there is. Didn't you just acquire them when you reached Superior Mastery in your magic and weapon proficiencies?" ［God］
"We did, but other than that, is there another way?" ［Grey］
"Another way... Hmm... It's harder than improving your current ones, but it does exist. Although, it would depend entirely on your soul." ［God］
Abilities... Special traits that make one stronger and improve one's skill in different fields. They are lifelines which could significantly impact one's life no matter when or where. Although they may seem simple at first, they are very complicated.
As per their nature, abilities are traits that are imprinted into the soul. Once they are imprinted, they can never be removed nor replaced unless the laws of the universe are broken. This is also the very reason why learning it is very hard.
The soul is not just a mass of aether, but something much more complex. For once, there are two main components, the core and the corona. The core, simply put, is the very essence of a being, remaining the same even after reincarnation. As for the corona, it is all the memories and experience in life which would be shed after death.
"Then Grey, when we did that..." ［Yuna］
"Yeah, I guess so... The same logic probably applied then." ［Grey］
This also applies vice versa. If the core is "shed" or destroyed, one would die. A case just like what happened when Grey and Yuna broke the soul's corona of one of the Iblis members, shedding away its mana, combat power, and the curse.
There are also rare instances where the corona is not completely shed, or not shed at all, and so, one can remember their past life and gain some ability. Grey's corona was also protected by God so he can reincarnate with his memories intact.
Abilities are etched into the core, and each soul has a certain limit. While those called "extra" abilities are imprinted in the corona. These include the enlightenment people receive when reaching a certain level of skill, and can be limitless.
"I see... So that means we can gather an endless amount of abilities if we raise our proficiencies high enough, right?' ［Grey］
"That's right, that's right. That is the easier way to acquire abilities." ［God］
However, the problem lies with true abilities imprinted in the core. They first start as experience, which will then be carried on as "talent" in the next life. Once the talent is honed enough, then they can become "abilities" imprinted in the soul.
The problem here is that there is a limit to the amount of "true" abilities. That means the soul will select as carefully as it could before imprinting a certain skill, a process that takes multiple lives to complete. Some even live a hundred lives, yet still fail to imprint an ability on their souls.
These "abilities" also grow, and so, the rating increases time and time again. Just an increase of one-star can mean several lives of effort. This only shows how much of a cheat Grey was when God basically imprinted it on them.
'On the other hand, Yuna...' ［Grey］
And one could only imagine how many lives Yuna's soul has spent to hone her ability all the way to 5☆. Even if she is a genius, she would still need a dozen lives at the very least. She truly was a peerless prodigy.
"Haah... And here I thought abilities were hereditary..." ［Grey］
"Hahaha. You aren't entirely wrong there. After all, souls are inherently attracted to those the same as them. That's the reason why people of the same lineage often possess the same ability. Quite fascinating, isn't it?" ［God］
It truly was fascinating, but also confusing at the same time. But thanks to it, things became much clearer and they could finally answer some of the bizarre phenomena they could only look and ponder at before.
However, those weren't the only things on Grey and Yuna's minds. It may be hard to acquire "true" abilities, but it wasn't impossible. As long as there is a chance, they could certainly try it out and aim for the pinnacle of power,
"Then, God... Could you tell us how many true abilities are our limit?" ［Grey］
"Hmm... For you, Young Man, you can have up to 13 of them... For Young Lady, you can have up to 10 abilities." ［God］
"10 abilities... Is that a lot?" ［Yuna］
"A lot...? Hahaha! People usually have 1 to 3 slots. Even I, as a God, have just as much as you, Young Lady. The highest ever recorded is 16, but the Young Man is still a completely outlandish case." ［God］
10 and 13... Their souls were just as powerful as a God's. There was an endless sea of possibility before there, the two's hearts bubbling in excitement as they thought about what they wanted to learn and what they wanted to prioritize.
Of course, as one would expect, Yuna wanted something which could help her in alchemy, while Grey was still completely undecided. All he knew was that he would fill up his abilities with powerful ones as much as possible.
"Hahaha. I can tell what you two are thinking, but don't do anything reckless. Even with your talent and skill, it would still take you at least a couple hundred years before you can develop a new true ability." ［God］
"Eh? A couple hundred years... Is there any way to make it faster?" ［Grey］
"I'm ashamed, but I'm afraid that's just how abilities are. Even the record is 271 years without the help of others, and he was amongst the elites of the Gods." ［God］
"271 years... That's a long time..." ［Yuna］
Unfortunately, time was not on their side. It was no wonder why it takes so long to imprint an ability. Even with how they are now, they would still take a few hundred years to get a new true ability. It was quite disheartening, actually.
Even God needed to use all the powers he had left on Merusia to awaken the latent talents in Grey, making him lose quite a bit of his Divine power. It cost him about half his power he cultivated for tens of thousands of years.
Normally, Gods wouldn't even help people gain abilities just because of the sheer amount of Divine Power they use. But Namel still believed it was worth it. He only hoped Grey would fulfill his role and that everything goes according to plan.
'Hmm... I wonder if he'll forgive me one day...' ［God］
It was a plan Grey had still yet to know, but there was no need to reveal it for now. He simply wished the young man would enjoy his current life with Yuna, and worry about the other things later. A gentle yet subtly guilty smile bloomed on his face.
"Now, now, don't be so gloomy. Even if you can't learn new abilities in this lifetime, you already are plenty powerful. So let's cheer up, shall we?" ［God］
"Haah... I guess you're right. I'm still not giving up though." ［Grey］
"Un! I'm going to have more powerful abilities than Grey!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Your confidence really is something. You really are lucky to have caught such a beauty, Grey. Make sure to treasure her." ［God］
"You're stating the obvious. That's already a matter of course." ［Grey］
Though, as it would seem, there was not a need to worry. The young man he was so worried about was evidently happy with the young lady by his side. If there were any regrets on his side, it was that he couldn't help him any more.
Smiles were afloat in the air, and suddenly, God's figure grew more radiant and orbs of light separated from his body and scattered in the air. His light pulsated and his figure slowly melded into the air, his figure burning away.
"Hahaha. Looks like this is as far as I go for now... It's a shame, but I have to go back to my new world now. It was short, but I had a good time, Grey, Yuna." ［God］
"Would we still meet you again?" ［Yuna］
"As long as you clear the next Labyrinth, we will be able to meet again. And... I hope to see you grow much stronger next time." ［God］
"Hahaha. We'll do just that. We'll make sure to shock you." ［Grey］
He doesn't have a face, but he was smiling ever so softly. Satisfaction bloomed in his heart, his body slowly dissipating, the final fragments of light riding the air and carried away by the gentle breeze, his body fading away as he waved his hand.
Soon, even his face was washed away by the wind, light slowly fading away until there was nothing left. The room was soon traced with silence, only two figures remaining, standing in place as they watched the fragments of light drift away.
"So that was God, huh... He seemed like he was just a friendly Grandpa... Was it really fine to act like that around him." ［Yuna］
"Yeah. Don't worry too much about him. He's more like an old friend or something along those lines." ［Grey］
"Ehh... You sure are comfortable around him. Grey, that was God, you know? The creator of the world? Can't you at least be a bit respectful?" ［Yuna］
Chatting ever so peacefully, Grey and Yuna then headed to the pedestal to do what they needed to doー or at least, that's what they were planning, when a realization struck them like lightning, out of the blue.
They were chatting so friendly, they have completely forgotten about oneー no, they have completely forgotten about a couple of things, Silence struck the room once again as the two looked one another straight in the eyes.
"Umm... Grey... How do we improve our abilities again...?" ［Yuna］
They now know what abilities truly are, how they form, and what their limits were. However, they have completely forgotten to ask how to improve them, something which was much more important than the others.
Not only the improvement of abilities, Grey had also forgotten to ask about the Divine Blood of Creation, the prophecy back on Torogi, the things he didn't include in his knowledge, and many more things. It was a huge and total blunder.
"Haah... Maybe next time...?" ［Grey］
Only a wry smile could bloom in Grey's face as he faced his fiancée. Even if he were to regret it, it's not like he could turn back time and ask God again. They could only hope to meet him next time and ask the important questions first.
There was no use thinking too much about it. Grey simply approached the pedestal where the spear previously was and placed his hands atop it, pouring his mana and the essence of creation dwelling inside him.
Runes started appearing all over the room and glowed with sheen and vigor. All sorts of colors sparkled like a cove of gemstones, the room dyed in iridescent light and life, mana swirling around like turbulent yet gentle storm.
RUMMBBBLLLEEEEEEE
What followed after were tremors running through the room. With the pedestal at the center, the whole Labyrinth of Stars, pure and unknown waves of energy sweeping throughout the whole world, reaching even the farthest nooks and crannies.
Grey's heart pumped with excitement once again, subtle yet noticeable changes unfolding in his body, a warm feeling flowing through all parts of his body and reaching even the deeper depths of his soul, placating him greatly.
He still couldn't identify what it was, but all he knew was that it was a good thing. He felt much better than before, his body feeling as if it was over the cloud. It was like his mind was suddenly cleared of doubts and impurities, mana flowing more gently in his veins.
Cling Cling Ting Shing Twing Ting Ring
The sensation was soon over, and a sweet symphony of chimes and whistles played in the air. Fragments of light popped out all over the place, bobbing up and down as they were carried by the wind, all drawing in to him as if he was a magnet.
They were none other than spirits, and compared to before, they were much more opaque, some moving about by themselves. Albeit slightly, some of them have now gained sentience, their presence much more established in the world.
⟨⟨Appraisal⟩⟩ ［Grey］
-----------------------------------
[Spirit]
[Name]...
[Age]...
[Rank]Floating Spirit
[Mana Capacity]3 [Mana Quality]H
[Combat Power]1 [Threat Level]H
[Gems]...
[Attribute]Water
-----------------------------------
Surely enough, he was right, a transparent status screen floating before him.
If before, it would only show a single line of "???", now, his appraisal shows detailed parameters and information about his target. It wasn't just a subtle change. The world has now recognized the existence of spirits.
And it may be because of the blood flowing inside of him, but they were strangely attracted to him. But maybe even stranger, he was able to understand their feelings. He felt a little happy, extending his hand out to greet the little fellas.
"Waah～! So cute! Grey, what are these things?!" ［Yuna］
Funnily enough, Yuna is now also able to see the spirits with them and they were also attracted to her. She was now happily giggling to herself, playing with the little spirits with a bright smile on her face, looking like a playful child.
Grey doesn't know whether it was because their presence is now more prominent or it was because Yuna was special. It was another thing to ask God once they meet again. The list just keeps on getting longer and longer.
"They're called spirits." ［Grey］
"Spirits...?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah. They're made of aether and are supposed to be the opposite of monsters. God said these are his final creations here in Merusia." ［Grey］
"I see... They really are pretty..." ［Yuna］
Yes, they were pretty, but on the other hand, they were also insanely weak, their combat powers only lying within the range of 1 and 2. They were just as weak as slimes are, no different from helpless babies.
Thankfully, they are all spiritual lifeforms, able to pass through physical objects as if they were ghosts. And though magic could damage them, it would take an absurd amount to do so. At least they won't be exterminated too quickly.
Well, he still only activated two pedestals for now. The more Grey activates, the more powerful the spirits would surely become. One could only look forward to how great of a companion they will be in the future. It was exhilarating.
"Oh! Grey, look! Look! It's dancing!" ［Yuna］
It has only been a couple minutes since the spirits appeared in the Labyrinth of Stars, and Yuna was now teaching them a few tricks. She waved her hands and the masses of formless mist and aether danced in her tune.
Grey doesn't know if he could call Yuna talented, or if the spirits were very obedient. All he knew was that he was witnessing quite an absurd scene before him, the spirits surrounding his fiancée and dancing ever so merrily like little sprites.
"Grey, you should join us too!" ［Yuna］
"Well... Maybe next time." ［Grey］
The young lady continued to wave her dance, shaking her hips soon enough and dancing with the whistles of the wind, the floating spirits dancing with her with glee, their colors and brightness pulsating. A two-in-one dance and light show.
Time passed and the whole treasure room was finally cleaned out of everything with value. Grey and Yuna soon stepped out of the treasure room and headed back to the 10th floor, quite a spectacle welcoming them back.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
A carpet of explosions rang out all over the place, pillars or smoke and clouds of dust brewing throughout the expansive floor. Monsters were defeated one after another as bolts of mana and turbulent storms rained down upon them.
The ones who caused such a scene were none other than the familiars, pouring it their all and hunting as many monsters as they could before the Labyrinth comes to a close. They were all full of vigor, devouring all the corruption there is.
"They sure are quite lively, aren't they... Even Capella and Achernar are strangely eager despite their timidness..." ［Yuna］
"Well, Polaris words might have hit them hard." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! We sure are lucky to have such hardworking familiars." ［Yuna］
They continued to watch the scene unfold, a Calamity-Class monster subjugated one after another. Not even the Disaster-Class ones could escape them, Polaris hunting them down and the others following his suit.
Some monsters were stronger than them, but with their impeccable teamwork, they could easily take down monsters twice or thrice stronger than them. The monsters whittled down by the moment, only a couple remaining unscathed.
It didn't take long before they finally noticed Grey and Yuna standing there, quickly tidying up the place and heading towards them as soon as they could. Polaris was the first one to land, the others lining up after him, forming a neat formation.
"Welcome back, Master, Mistress. How was your trip?" ［Polaris］
"It was quite fruitful, and... It seems like everyone is working hard. Are you sure you're not pushing yourselves too hard?" ［Grey］
"There is no need to worry, Master. We are only doing what we can handle. And... I'm sure everyone here would like to be of service as soon as possible." ［Polaris］
Everyone's eyes were filled with seriousness and determination. There was not a need to ask. Even if they were to scold them, they would surely act out stubbornly and still push themselves to the limit. Grey and Yuna could only sigh in resignation.
"On another note, Master, Mistress... What are these floating things?" ［Polaris］
"They suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I don't think they're harmful though." ［Canopus］
"Rather, they feel quite gentle..." ［Rigel］
And as it seems, it wasn't just Yuna, but everyone else could also see the floating spirits bobbing up and down, gathering around the familiars and seeming like they were admiring them up close, looking cheerful and merry.
Astonishingly, the spirits which gathered around the familiars corresponded to their attributes. Water spirits gathered near Rigel, Earth spirits near Capella, Light spirits near Procyon, et cetera. They seemed to like them greatly.
"Well, let's just say they're our little allies in the future." ［Grey］
"Allies... I see..." ［Sirius］
"Fufufu! They look cute, don't they?" ［Yuna］
Grey's answer was quite vague, but the familiars didn't ask any more questions. They just simply nodded and acknowledged the little sprites floating here and there. They seem to not be bothered too much despite them crowding around them.
However, there was no need to pay too much attention towards them. They wanted to go back to the surface already, but the torchstones were still lit. The Labyrinth of Stars was still active, and there were still people loitering around at the upper floors.
Thankfully, it wasn't like Grey and Yuna were in a hurry. There were still a few things to do around the Labyrinth. Especially around the lower floors... There were still tons upon tons of treasure rooms scattered around, waiting to be looted.
"Then, shall we clear everything out?" ［Grey］
"Un! Let's take all the treasures!" ［Yuna］
Thunder resounded with their steps, the winds hollering as they rushed throughout the Labyrinth, destruction lashing out on their wake. All monsters were obliterated and all treasure rooms were looted without sparing a single one behind.
They went up floors and cleared them out all the same, hundreds upon hundreds of treasure poured inside the "Inventory" and thousands of drops popped out here and there. Treasures piled into mountains and billions of kiels piled up with the passing of time.
They looted, they subjugated, and they helped out the adventurers who were in need. Every time they brandished their blades and fists, monsters were cut down and sent to their creator. Such a sight continued until the cavern opened up before them.
"Fuwaah～! We're finally back!" ［Yuna］
Darkness has swallowed the world, the moon and stars reigning over the sky as the cold, nightly breeze continued to blow. There were stars in the Labyrinth, but they couldn't compare to the real ones... They were truly beautiful.
"Ahh～! I really want to take a hot bathー" ［Yuna］
GROOWWWLLLLLLLL～
Though, before they could admire the wonderful and mystical scenery, there was something they needed to remedy first. They haven't eaten a thing since breakfast, and with how vigorous their day has been, it was only natural they were hungryー No, they were famished.
"Sorry about that... Should we have dinner first?" ［Grey］
"... Un! I'd also love that!" ［Yuna］
CHAPTER 341