Oliver firmly stated,
"I won't change my mind. I'm still going to pursue this power and prove that I'm not just a whimpy stalker kid."
Renji chuckled,
"You're not a kid anymore; you're 18, hahahaha."
Curious, Oliver inquired,
"You mentioned different types of Anima Mundi spell utilizations earlier. Can you explain them to me?"
Renji replied,
"Of course. They're part of your training and learning. Firstly, Anima Mundi is an essential energy derived from the core of Mother Earth. It fuels our ability to create spells and weapons to combat the cursed powers of the undead."
Oliver said,
"I already know that."
Renji grinned,
"I'm just going over it for review purposes, mwehehehhee."
Oliver asked,
"Alright, then. What are these spell utilizations?"
Renji cautioned,
"Hold on, let's not rush things. We've got 10 pairs of AM spell utilizations, so that's 20 in total. These pairs cover countering, attacking, and defending. Are you ready to dive into this?"
Oliver replied with eagerness,
"Absolutely, Master. Please explain."
Renji began,
"Let's start with the first one: Generation-Degeneration. This branch enables the caster to create or decay matter. They can conjure life-sustaining resources or erode objects and structures into nothingness."
Oliver, though intrigued, requested a simpler explanation.
"I'm still struggling to fully grasp it. Can you demonstrate the concepts of generation and degeneration in an easier way?"
Renji explained to Oliver,
"Alright then, let me break it down for you. I'll use my fire magic as an example.
Generation utilization: In this aspect of the spell, you create something new with your fire magic. For instance, you could form a blazing fireball in your hand, conjuring fiery energy from thin air.
Degeneration utilization: On the flip side, the degeneration part allows you to break down or decay things using your fire magic. Imagine aiming your flames at a wooden barricade - with your magic, you accelerate the decay process, turning the wood into ash and weakening the structure until it collapses.
So, this branch of Anima Mundi spell utilizations grants you the power to either bring something into existence with your fire magic or to break down and erode things using those same flames."
Oliver said,
"Ah, I see. I've got a better understanding now."
R enji then proposed,
"As part of your new training, I'm going to give you a test to improve your powers and physical attributes. It'll also help you learn the generation and degeneration utilization spells. Are you ready?"
Eagerly, Oliver replied,
"Yes, I'm absolutely ready!"
Renji conjured a sword out of thin air using his fire magic, then leaped from the 10th floor of the building to the ground outside the hotel, placing the sword into the ground and creating a small burning shockwave. He shouted for Oliver to come down.
Oliver followed suit, successfully landing, although he ended up with a crumpled knee. Renji commented,
"Good landing, but remember to work on your landings. Now, I need you to pull out this sword for me. I'll be here watching and waiting."
Oliver attempted to pull the sword from the ground, but struggled to make any progress. Frustrated, he said,
"Are you kidding me, Master? This might take me years to pull out, and I can't afford to be distracted by this while we're on a mission."
Renji responded firmly,
"That's the essence of this training. Will you allow yourself to be distracted in order to grow? All you need is focus. Let me tell you something about this sword – it's called King Arthur's Excalibur. It doesn't require sheer strength to pull out; it demands willpower and determination."
Risstle comforted Sanillia, saying, "Take a rest for a while and help yourself to some food from the fridge. We have plenty."
Sanillia replied,
"Thank you, big sis."
Charles proceeded to discuss the mission, but Risstle questioned,
"What about the other two? They should be here."
Charles reassured her, saying,
"Don't worry about them. We'll fill them in on the plan later."
Risstle asked,
"Alright, so what's our plan here? Should we gather information by spying on him or eliminate him?"
Charles explained,
"We need to eliminate him and destroy their plague staff. Max Couldron and the Acolytes have taken control of Pasay City after massacring the council and its armies that governed the entire city. The government has been sending troops against these monsters, but it seems they're losing more people. After that, they're on the verge of giving up on saving the city and its remaining human population."
Risstle was shocked and horrified, asking,
"Do we really have to do this destroying the plague staff?"
Charles responded firmly,
"Yes, we have to. We're going to infiltrate their base without the Acolytes noticing us. Once we reach Max's safe harbor, that's where we'll end his life. After defeating Max Couldron, it will be the complete annihilation of the Acolytes, as he's their progenitor."
Risstle questioned further,
"Is Max Couldron really that strong and formidable?"
Charles explained,
"If he's considered the progenitor of the Acolytes and the Undead at the same time, he might be a Dread Master-ranked Undead or even more. So, this training mission for you and Oliver might be risky, but I know with all of us working together, we have a higher chance of defeating him, especially with Renji by our side."
In a dimly lit street in Caloocan City, Noel, wearing a black fitted sweater, strolled through the dark night. He held a twisted ghostly specter woman by her neck, her form distorted due to Noel's grip.
Noel casually remarked,
"Man, these weak undead bore me."
He entered a restaurant and noticed the elderly woman who owned it. She looked terrified, and Noel said,
"The ghost that roams here in your fast-food joint won't bother you anymore. I'd like some juice and burgers."
The old woman, relieved, responded,
"Thank you, young man, for saving our family and our business. As a token of our gratitude, we'll give you our specialty for free."
Noel was pleasantly surprised and replied,
"Really? That would be lovely."
He took his seat and waited for his order to be prepared. Then, in a rather sarcastic tone, he told the owner,
"Before I go send you to the afterlife... Oh wait, you aren't even alive in the first place because you're an undead old ugly woman."
The ugly woman suddenly transformed into a ghoul and launched a spear-like dark energy attack at Noel. He effortlessly blocked it with just his pinky finger.
The ghoul seethed with anger and said,
"You insolent bastard! You think you can get away with this? You murdered my daughter, the one that you were holding earlier, you mongrel."
Noel replied with a smirk,
"Hey, it's not my fault she attacked me first. And don't worry about it, because you seem like a Dread Master-level undead in the ghoul race. Hahaha."
The ghoul charged at Noel, but he was prepared. He unleashed a powerful strike, landing it in the ghoul's stomach, knocking the vicious monster back.
Noel swiftly followed up, charging at the knocked-back ghoul and initiating his
"active skill, the Cyclone Strike."
He unleashed a mighty compressed cyclone of wind from his palms, which rapidly spun toward the ghoul, slashing it with razor-sharp gusts and tearing through its center.
Despite the damage, the ghoul began regenerating and grew even angrier, sharpening her claws. Noel, however, found the situation interesting rather intriguing.