Ragna is still discussing with Circe, they talked more about things that could be discussed like some things about the usual topic in this world, the gods and demons, and their Gifts, which Circe decided to spread the knowledge about it for a bit.
" I see, so it was correct then that the Gift Core is a double-edged power System. " Ragna says to Circe after discussing a lot about it.
" Of course, everyone should've known this, those humans who were Gifted. "
" Even I, who had the Divine Blood within me, wouldn't recommend those humans I've met to still keep their Gifts inside them for too long. " Circe replies while shrugging off.
" I even recommended them to just ripped it off out of them and start searching for alternative energies such as Mana or Ki, but sadly those things are rare now. "
" For the humans themselves also helped their 'gods' to hide their nature from the public, those humans who had already bound themselves to the Divine Will, of course. "
" I see now Circe, so that means that the Gift Core is more like a powerful item that will make its user dependent on it, was it not? " Ragna asks, wondering if his analogy is correct.
" Hmmm... it's around that it seems. "
" I think the analogy of it is better to be like this. "
" The 'Gift Core' and the 'Sin Core', both given by the Diviners and from the Deviants are all like an overpowered magical sword, a sword so powerful that it outclasses every weapon around it as it empowers the user.
" The sword had many strengths and advantageous that could help the wielder many times in battle... "
" But, the sword had one particular downside, especially to its user who holds it every time. "
" It actually corrupted the Wielder and even forced the wielder to comply with the 'swords' will, for the very object has already been filled by an entity. "
" An entity whether it was the Diviners or the Deviants, by nature is the one who manipulates things inside the given object, making the user addicted to using it for a long time as it closes the User to try to use many other 'weapons' they could use. "
" After they succeeded, the User will then become fully dependent on using the weapon, never letting it go even if they didn't know that the weapon itself is going to be treacherous to them. " Circe explains.
" I see... " Ragna responds.
" I can imagine it... "
" The treacherous moment that could happen if the 'entity' who actually 'owns' the weapons' body suddenly takes away all of the very weapons from them, was it not? " Ragna summarized it.
" Bingo! " Circe agreed to it.
" That's why in reality, in order to compete, one must excel not only in one aspect of power but instead must master all of the aspects that exist. "
" If one just sticks into one aspect only, for let's just say 30 years. "
" Then they would lose the opportunity to learn the 'other aspects'. "
" And tell me this, since you're a human... "
" What do you have if you have something from that much time (30 years) and suddenly you lost it completely, what will happen to you? " Circe asks Ragna that question, a question that Ragna already knew the answer to his experience regarding it, for he already witnessed it.
" The said person, the 'human'..., "
" Will be depressed and broken, as if their work and hopes are all lost to them. " Ragna answered simply.
" And besides that... "
" After hearing this much from you, I could say that the 'Gift Core' is such an addictive product made by the Diviners, so sad that many still deny it while they are all being drunk in using its powers. "
" But still, Circe... " Ragna calls her.
" Yes, is there something you want to ask about the Gift Core? " Circe offered Ragna to ask his question.
" Exactly, I simply want to ask you regarding the 'Divine Avatar'. " Ragna mentions it, which made Circe burst out of her drink.
" Whoa... "
" Oh sorry there, my bad... " Circe says after spitting out.
" I just can't help myself to hear that every word out of your mouth, the final phase of having the 'Gift Core' for a human, the 'Divine Avatar' concept. "
" The greatest joke in history where a god will be in full sync with a human, it's such a scam. " Circe immediately says to Ragna.
" Really? " Ragna asks her statement in disbelief, for he witnessed a 'Divine Avatar's power back then, Inquisitor Kara who was a fully Divine Avatar of Aphrodite during the battle inside the Abyss Tower.
Ragna just simply tells Circe about this, not mentioning Kara's name but simply telling her identity as 'Aphrodite's Avatar' only.
" I see, so the goddess of love finally chooses to die in such a lowly human vessel. " Circe sarcastically says in front of Ragna.
Ragna still holds it, not letting off his cool while the enchantress mentions the goddess. Being a smart guy, Ragna already could deduce that Circe might've had something with the goddess, hence why there's a glimpse of hate from her that could be heard.
"( This bitch, she really was happy to hear this news out of my mouth, isn't she? )" Ragna puts his hand in his pocket while the pocketed hand is clenching itself.
" Ahahaha, it seems that the Diviners never learned about their mistakes... " Circe tells while having her chuckle.
" They think by simply pumping their energy into their vessel's body using the Gift Core inside them would immediately make their vessel perfect to become their 'substitute body'. "
" Of course not, such a thing is stupid for the humans that they ruled are simply too weak, even after they pumped their body, upgrading them to their fullest potential when using their body... "
" It will still fail, thanks to their own doing. " Circe adds.
" Because the humans now had weaker bodies due to being dependent on the 'Gift Core's power? " Ragna asks.
" Yup, it's all the Diviners' fault to make the humans weak in the first place. " Circe replied.
" How weak? " Ragna wondered about it.
" Well, let's just say that humans are technically at their weakest in the Current Age of time. "
" They might still be able to destroy large things though, but you know where their powers mostly come from. "
" Rip it out from them and walaa~ "
" Their power straightly goes to zero, and their body would crumble, was it the answer? " Ragna tells her.
" Exactly, you get it so fast. " Circe praises Ragna.
" And speaking of their body 'crumbled', losing a 'Gift Core' to this age humans could result in their instant death sometimes. "
" Unlike their predecessors that could still be alive for possibly a year or two. "
" For the 'Gift Core' to humans now is their 'second heart', the other thing that becomes their primary base to let their body operates. "
" And just like your inside organs, if you rip one out, then your body operations will be in chaos as some of the functions are disrupted. "
" Hence why the 'Ungifted', those who didn't have the Gift Cores, even though it's rare.., "
" Is considered a 'defective' by people and the Diviners... "
" Especially since the Diviners race hates any 'defectives'..., even within their own kind. "
" I understand, what a great insight from you. " Ragna thinks to himself while recounting what's being discussed.
"( Hearing this, I become more grateful that I'm an Ungifted back then, I beat the 'red flags' from what those people think of me... )" Ragna says after remembering his Ungifted days where people simply felt disgusted on knowing him being Ungifted.
"( Then again, thank goodness that I've been through all this way, and didn't have to owe anything to those who manipulated our lives... )" Ragna says to the Diviners, for he really felt gratitude that his eyes were opened about all of his mistreats before he even meets Ragna Twelve and acquired the System.
Ragna continues to talk with Circe, and after talking about the Gift Cores and the 'Divine Avatar' stage.
He begins to open another topic, a topic he wants to understand after everything that happened inside the Abyss Tower.
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Extra:
Gift Core Stages (advanced):
Gift Core Tier 1: In this stage, the humans get 1%-20% of the Diviners' power.
Their level is based on the System: LVL 1-20
Gift Core Tier 2: In this stage, the humans get 21%-40% of the Diviners' power.
Their level is based on the System: LVL 21-40
Gift Core Tier 3: In this stage, the humans get 41%-60% of the Diviners' power, but in this stage, they will receive some other bonuses, either it's another ability or been given some exceptional Gift Skill.
Their level is based on the System: LVL 41-60
Gift Core Tier 4: In this stage, the humans get 61%-80% of the Diviners' power, in this stage, the humans will receive another ability or skill, and also, their bodies had been great getting an upgrade thanks to the Core's Tier, making them almost reach a 'Demigod' level.
Their level is based on the System: LVL 61-80
Gift Core Tier 5: In this stage, the humans get 81%-(90%/100%) of the Diviners' power, the humans will simply receive the Diviner's power in greater heights, in this stage, the human could be sufficient to become the 'Divine Avatar'.
Their level is based on the System: LVL 81-(90/100).
note:
Not all humans could achieve the 100% of becoming the Divine Avatar. even when they do, their usually a hidden cost that will slowly kill the humans in its progress.
For example, I forgot to mention this in the previous Chapters but during Inquisitor's Kara Divine Avatar stage, her body is actually filled with cracks that leak the glow of Aphrodite's Divine Energy, these cracks are being shrugged off by both of them, unaware for the signs of an error during their sync.