Two people of great esteem sat, snacking on delicate desserts and chatting over a floating screen.

"By all accounts, an [Ash] of that age and talent will go far. He'll make [Weave], at the least, even without an agency. Add in that innate title ability and...how are you planning to attract him? With how he's acting, he's not the type to be easily tied down," an AI-like feminine voice asked the other.

"Good question. I don't know," the other begrudgingly admitted. "But I do plan to laugh at the other agencies when they try," the other's gravely voice dripped with much schadenfreude then.

"My ability tells me that he'll play them like a fool if they try any of those bad little tricks on him. And since I know those idiots, I'll be a good little audience member and laugh at them when that inevitably happens," the other cheerfully bit down on a macaroon at the beautiful picture that it brought to mind.

The first sighed then, "Then on your head, the mess, it will be. Don't expect me to clean up after you this time, Mx.President."

----------------------------------------

Infinite Worlds Copy, Yuki Manor, :

A snowy owl stood atop a wolf's corpse. Everywhere else being covered in a layer of weirdly colored snow.

Several minutes passed with only the *dinging* marking its passing.

Golden eyes, glowing in the dim light of the den, blinked.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

A soft whistle echoed in the den.

Seems [Yule's] pilots were back.

[Detected player *solo* of [Elite-Miniboss] "Frost Wolf Leader". Reward calculation in progress.]

|

[Detected activation of hidden side task, "Salvation".]

|

[Assigning task, please open your task menu to view mission details by saying or thinking the word *tasks*.]

'Alrighty then. (...) Anyone know why I'm getting an urge to claw open the boss' chest?'

/That would be this form's instinctual attraction to things that can help it grow stronger.\

'Ha! I knew it! No way this body's bloodline was a simple shapeshifting one, not with how weirdly easy it's adjusting to us piloting it. (...) So...'

{/\}

'Damn. (...) Please?'

Feelings were rapidly exchanged through our link.

Pleading > stubborness > pleading x2 > wavering > pleading x3 > exasperation > gradual hope > resignation...

{/\}

I felt multiple sets of surprised realization then.

{}

/Blank's it!\

Then, two pings of satisfaction before a ping of aghast betrayal.

/Even you, Light?!\

I struggled to hide my amusement at Dark's expense, redirecting the thought by manifesting a set of hands in Alexandria to pat him on the back with.

'There, there. Next time you'll get Blank for sure.'

I was lying. We all knew I was lying. But platitudes didn't need to be truthful to do their job.

/I hate this Abyss damned family.\

Light, Blank, and I stepped away from the body's control to give Dark full pilot.

The link lit up with a continuous reverbration of "digust-digust-digust" as Dark did as instincts demanded, digging into flesh and clawing out a whole heart, bleeding, bluish-white in some parts, and still emanating a freezing cold.

While Dark was still incredibly unhappy at the job he'd been given, he'd still unhestantly closed off our link since it really didn't make much sense to force all of us through this next bit if we didn't have to.

Beak open wide now, dinner time.

A beat.

Two.

...

{/<'Eh?'>\}

/Uh...\

Finally, the much anticipated *ding* rang out.

[Detected player form's ingestion of frost-element type evolutionary sub material, "Frost Yao Heart (Purified)".]

|

[Detected 3 branches of form, [Yule's], evolution now unlocked.]

|

[Form growth menu now acessible, please open your growth menu to view evolutionary conditions in detail by saying or thinking the word *growth*.]

/...better late than never?\

As we were about to open the shiny new thing to look through, the system took moment to remember that it had another thing it owed us.

Since Dark was still piloting, it was the one to flap back in surprise at the glowing ball of light, flickering between green and blue, that just spawned into existence in front of us.

After a scan from Light had shown that it wasn't dangerous, we landed back on the boss' body to be greeted with an explanation from the system for our scare.

[Reward calculation completed.]

|

[Due to multiple factors (ex: *solo* , arena bonus, newbie bonus, +2 more.), final reward grade +1.]

|

[Final count, [Elite-Miniboss] of Uncommon Copy, *solo* , boss random reward table: Green to Blue item (20|30|50*Armor|Accessory|Weapon) before final reward grade +1.]

I opened up our link. I needed my incarnations to share in the familiar dread that we were all experiencing. I wasn't gonna state the obvious, but we all knew how difficult it was to stem the tide of bad memories that this situation brought up.

/Bet?\

{<'No bet.'>}

The ball of light flickered rapidly between the two colors, even stretching out and back in again as if it was puddy.

Eventually. It slowed.

Green-big, blue-big, green-small, blue-small...

...green-medium.

[Player final reward roll: Green weapon, final reward grade +1.]

|

[Final reward: Blue weapon, "Ghost’s Fang".]

The now pointy-shaped light turned blue after the first *ding* as we realized that we didn't have hands to catch the thing once it stopped being a floating light and hurriedly transformed to catch our "reward".

Hand carefully placed around the bony handle instead of the sharp bit, I inspected the first part of what I was due for this whole mess.

Let's see, befitting that "fang" name for sure, shape is more fang than any true dagger. Same color as the boss' teeth, cold as it too, without the purple surprisingly. A quick hand measure gives back an estimate of 2/3rds of a foot, not our favorite length but workable. A few waves and one go through a [C6] shortsword excercise I'm repurposing for a bit and...

Alright thingy, whisper me your secrets.

[Elemental Weapon (Blue | Rare): “Ghost’s Fang” (Ice | Dagger {Elemental}) - A dagger ‘forged’ from the yinfrost fangs of a Frost Wolf Leader that had lived and died feasting on the resentment of those, both living and dead, of the icy mountains.

The blade; slightly curved and gradually flaring in thickness from the tip to the base, sharp as glass but not anywhere near as brittle, blue-silver-ice in its base form, purplish-bone-red in its revenant form; a predator’s weapon.

→ Durability: 100/100

→ Base DMG: Melee weapon, sharp, damage, Health: -50 (Average)

→ Companion Skill(s): [Unavailable until the completion of player's 1st Copy.]

→ Passive: [Iceborn Soul] - Every attack made with this weapon has a +20% ice elemental damage added to the base damage.

⤷ (Resulting) Effect: Compound damage. Melee weapon, sharp, damage, Health: -50 (Average), + elemental (ice) damage, Health: -10 (Average) = Health: -60 (Average).

→ Active: [Frost Revenant] - Activated with the blood sacrifice of the user (at least 1 mL); changes the added ice elemental damage from [Iceborn Soul] into yin attribute true soul damage until duration runs out.

↠ Application: Every attack made with this weapon has a +20% yin attribute true soul damage added to the base damage until the end of its duration.

⤷ (Resulting) Effect: Compound damage. Melee weapon, sharp, damage, Health: -50 (Average), + true soul (yin) damage, Health: -10 (Average) = Health: -60 (Average).

→ Note: The “true soul” damage type has an innate armor penetration and healing denial type traits.

⇴ Cost: “Material” based consumption.

⤷ (Naked) Cost: Material consumption, #mL of blood (minimum 1)*base stat*1 second.

⤷ (Resulting) Cost: Presuming minimum material offering, currently 26 seconds of use per activation.

→ Note: Different damage types have different innate traits but due to this weapon’s low damage output of those types, some traits are unrecognized by the .]

...

'Verdict, team?'

{/\}

I sent them a mix of exasperation and "where's your enthusiasm" over the link before finally mentioning the dragon in the room.

'Our luck with gachas is horrible, be happy it even gave us something we can use. Even the system thinks so, "-2" when average is "5".'

I wanted to pla- uh- get familiar with the to- weapon a bit more but- more things awaited so...

To the inventory- storage- whatever- you go. I would keep it with me but- with how often I transform- and how much I'm rellying on surprise tactics right now...

Not to mention the biggest factor...the damn system didn't give me a damn sheath to put it in!

Putting that aside.

'Now. We've waited enough. Light. Bestiary. I'll check that task and [Yule's] thing after.'

{Had it waiting the whole time. Here you go. Both parts. Quick reminder though; I also have memories ready for you.}

'Thank you, Angel-Mine. You're the only dependable one around here (me included). I'll get to it after this.'

I felt a set of agreement flash accross the link alongside a dash of bashfullness. Truly, I have no idea how this family deserved Light.

[Bestiary:

Monster Type > Beast > Wolf > Snow Wolf (1/2)

Element(s): Ice/Snow/Yin

Strength(s): Stealth/Speed > Ambush/Tracking

Specialization(s): Rogue (Major) | Ice Element (Minor) > Ice Mage Assassin (Major)

Stat Block (Avg):

Health: 120/120 | Soul: ?/? | SAN: ?/?

Physical:

STR [?|?] : CON [12|A] : DEX [10+|?]

Mental:

INT [?|?] : WIS [?|?] : CHR [?|?]

Metaphysical:

SPR [?|?] : WIL [?|? : LCK [?|?]

Total: [?|?]

→ Note: Average stats for B- creatures (not accounting grade bonus) being an “8.75”.

→ Note (2): Stats are unique to individual monsters and are not counted by . Instead, stat averages are automatically calculated once reaches completion (100%); unless the user attempts to fill it in themselves. Again. The only displays averages for the species, outliers are possible.

Trait(s):

→ Snow Cloak (Passive) - Snow element cloaks the user's form, masking the user's scent, steps, and general presence.

→ Vengeful Wraith (Passive) - Yin qi flows through the user, it will guide you to all things living here, on this cursed soil.

→ Ghastly Eyes (Passive) - Any being gazing into the user’s eyes will be inflicted with a fear effect and can experience hallucinatory effects if their is less than "15".

→ Yin Frostbite (Passive) - Cold Yin poison infects anything the user has bitten or scratched. Antidote: ?? | Unknown.

→ Note: Traits do not have "grades" nor "levels".

Details - Light grey fur and red ghost-eyes, ice claws and teeth + venom, pack hunter, yin corroded.

Monster Rating: B- (Elite)

Final Classification: Yāo, base materials → dead wolves + yin qi + snow + ice

Completion % → 45% (+45% = 90% (Cumulative))

→ Note: Due to an inherent characteristic, this monster's is split between two pages of 50% each.]

[Bestiary:

Monster Type > Beast > Wolf > Frost Wolf Leader (2/2)

Element(s): Frost/Yin

Strength(s): Stealth/ Speed > Ambush/Tracking/Element

Specialization(s): Rogue (Major) | Frost Element (Minor) > Frost Mage Assassin (Major) | Vengeful Yin Spirit (Minor)

Stat Block (Avg):

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Health: 210/210 | Soul: ?/? | SAN: ?/?

Physical:

STR [?|?] : CON [21|A] : DEX [19+|?]

Mental:

INT [?|?] : WIS [?|?] : CHR [?|?]

Metaphysical:

SPR [?|?] : WIL [?|? : LCK [?|?]

Total: [?|?]

→ Note: As the subject also experiences a x1.5 grade bonus from being a [Miniboss] of an [Uncommon Journey].

Total Stats (w/out bonus):

Health: ?/130+ | Soul: ?/? | SAN: ?/?

Physical:

STR [?|?] : CON [14|A] : DEX [13+|?]

Mental:

INT [?|?] : WIS [?|?] : CHR [?|?]

Metaphysical:

SPR [?|?] : WIL [?|? : LCK [?|?]

Total: [?|?]

→ Note: Average stats (except ) for A+ creatures being a “15”.

Trait(s):

→ Snow Cloak (Passive) - Snow element cloaks the user's form, masking the user's scent, steps, and general presence.

→ Vengeful Wraith (Passive) - Yin qi flows through the user, it will guide you to all things living here, on this cursed soil.

→ Shade's Gaze (Passive) - Any being gazing into the user’s eyes will be hypnotized by their beauty and inflicted with a mesmerized effect if their is less than "15".

↠ Shade's Glare (Active) - User’s eyes ripple with yin energy causing any being meeting their gaze to be hypnotized by their power and beauty, inflicting those weak of will, is less than "25", with a heightened fear effect and horrific hallucinations.

→ Century Frozen Yin (Passive) - Concentrated Frost-Yin venom infects anything the user has bitten or scratched. Antidote: ?? | Unknown.

→ Berserk (Active) - User actively manipulates the resentment and yin qi within, and around, them with their , exchanging a temporary loss for an all-around physical stat buff until either the user or enemy is incapacitated or dead.

→ Curse of Fallen Frost (Passive) - This curse is considered a [Death Trigger] which, upon the user’s death, sends out an explosion of frost, yin, and resentment energies centered on the user’s position outwards, freezing everything it touches and shattering it.

→ Note: Traits do not have "grades" nor "levels".

Details - Snow-ghost white fur that (when berserk/boosted) has a whispy mist-like effect, pale purple-blue eyes, claws and teeth made of century old ice + yin toxin, leader, pack hunter, cursed/spirit bound.

Monster Rating: A+ (Elite Miniboss)

Final Classification: Yāo, base materials → dead wolf leader + yin qi + sufficient resentment + frost

Completion % → 45% (+45% = 90% (Cumulative))

→ Note: Due to an inherent characteristic, this monster's is split between two pages of 50% each.]

Satisfaction flooded the link, mostly from me, I'll admit.

But I think it's well deserved after all the shit I've had to deal with.

And the last ingredient was but a thought away; the feel of smooth metal soothing to my blood drenched soul, if not to this body's teenage self.

Thankfully, the system was quicker on the uptake this time.

[Detected trigger of artifact ability condition: Bestiary completion percentage > 90%, "Snow Wolf/Frost Wolf Leader".]

|

[Detected no further synthesis material needed aside from those already provided (ex: location, special storage material, +2 more). Please keep close to primary material (ex: miniboss' body) while further checks are completed.

Note: In this case, materials are only needed to strengthen the final synthesis result, not for the synthesis itself.]

|

[Detected final condition before successful . Please a *fitting* , for you new companion.]

|

[Name: ____________________]

Multiple things happened after that.

Firstly, something disturbingly similar to a mental attack rolled through, and peered at, a lot of my memories which, if it weren't for the fact that I knew my incarnation would protect me, and that Alexandria hadn't identified it as a threat, I would be a lot more concerned about.

Secondly, even if it wasn't an attack, it left me with a throbbing in my temples and unwarranted grief where old memories of lives, and people, long past flickered, behind my eyelids.

Thirdly, the perfectly normal system message waiting obediently for my input flickered and-

[Name: Yūsuī (優眭)]

|

[Final condition met. now in progress.]

Ah.

'Cool black hole recreation you're doing there, system.'

As the card in my fingers started floating, while radiating a black and gold that appeared to be consuming somethings that I couldn't sense, as well as those "materials" the system so graciously told me about (i.e. the black hole comparison).

I just- considered for a second; do I have any fucks left to give right now?

Because- it's been barely a few hours since I've woken up to this shit and I just had to deal with a fucking greatest-fear illusion- so...

'Yea. You know what? No. Nein. Not dealing with this. I'll just...do something else.'

Leaving the floating card to its business, I very pointedly turned away from that situation and grabbed onto the other thing I had wanted to do as distraction instead.

'Growth.'

[Form Growth (Evolutionary) Tree:

Yule (Snowy Owl):

Basic (Innate) Growth Direction →

Wind (40%) , Stealth (40%), Snow (20%) = Hidden Blizzard Owl (dual sorcerer-assassin path: B1)

⤷ Path Conditions: Be exposed to a "true blizzard" ☑*, "25" enemies while "hidden" ☒ (1/25).

*Upgraded from normal path condition, "be exposed to a snowstorm", based on the unique circumstances encountered by form, "Yule". Most likely outcome; will strengthen the final form of this growth path.

⤷ Growth Percentage: 54% / 100%

Induced growth direction (1) →

Frost (70%), Stealth (30%) = Frost Hunter Owl (dual sorcerer-assassin path: F1)

⤷ Inducement Variable: Form's ingestion of frost-element type evolutionary sub material, "Frost Yao Heart (Purified)".

⤷ Path Conditions: Be exposed to a frost-element type evolutionary material ☑, "Hunt" "5" miniboss+ rank enemies ☒ (1/5).

⤷ Growth Percentage: 60% / 100%

Induced Growth Direction (2) →

Frost (65%), Spirit (25%), Knowledge (10%)* = Frost Sage Owlet* (prime mage path: F1)

*When certain avaliable paths are stronger than a form's maximum potential, they are "adjusted" to a more "fitting" life stage, for a more gradual growth process.

⤷ Inducement Variable: Form's ingestion of frost-element type evolutionary sub material, "Frost Yao Heart (Purified)".

*Detected secondary inducement variable, unique title, “Archivist”.

⤷ Path Conditions: Be exposed to a frost-element type evolutionary material ☑, "exorcise" and/or "purify" a resentful spirit ☑, had "studied" and/or obtained "5" rare+ rank pieces of "knowledge" ☒ (0/5)*.

*"Knowledge" can be considered as any of these items; carvings, tomes, scrolls, etc.

⤷ Growth Percentage: 67% / 100%

Unassigned (Black Cat):

Basic (Innate) Growth Direction →

Shadow (80%), Spirit (20%) = Shadow's Familiar Youngling* (prime warlock path: S1)

*When certain avaliable paths are stronger than a form's maximum potential, they are "adjusted" to a more "fitting" life stage, for a more gradual growth process.

⤷ Path Conditions: Be a cat with black fur ☑, have access to "YinYang Eyes" ☑*, be exposed to a shadow-element type evolutionary material ☒.

*Upgraded from normal path condition, "have access to spirit vision", based on the unique circumstances of form's Code, "Ace". Most likely outcome; will strengthen the final form of this growth path.

⤷ Growth Percentage: 67% / 100%

Induced growth direction (1) →

Yin (80%), Spirit (20%) = Bakeneko Kitten* (prime sorcerer path: Y1)

*When certain avaliable paths are stronger than a form's maximum potential, they are "adjusted" to a more "fitting" life stage, for a more gradual growth process.

⤷ Inducement Variable: Beginner's copy worldline.

⤷ Path Conditions: "Live" in an eastern supernatural worldline ☑, be exposed to a source of "true yin (resentment)" ☑~☒*, grow to an age (# > 13 years old) befitting a Bakeneko ☒ (2/13).

*This condition is considered half-completed, please complete in the intended form to reach full completion.

⤷ Growth Percentage: 54% / 100%

Induced growth direction (2) →

Spirit (75%), Luck (20%), Fate (5%) = Maneki-neko (prime priest path: S1)

⤷ Inducement Variable: Beginner's copy worldline.

⤷ Path Conditions: Be a cat with "reddish"/black fur ☑, "live" in an eastern supernatural worldline ☑, bring riches to or "save" a "master" from disaster as befitting a Maneki-neko ☒ (0/1)*.

*This condition is scewed towards the "saving" portion due to form's black fur. Completion of which would most likely strengthen the final form of this growth path in the direction of "protection".

⤷ Growth Percentage: 67% / 100%

...

{/<'Interesting...'>\}

And while we would have loved to further discuss what we've just learned from the new system menu, the situation that required us to use this as a distraction in the first place, made its' attention seeking-self known.

Black-gold ribbons of light flashed in the edges of my vision and several *dings* rang out at the same time as I, along with my incarnations, turned to a newly decorated card as we felt a newborn soul attach itself to us.

[ succeesful.]

|

[Artifact synthesis reward: Sealed Card of the End, “Loyal Fenris, Yūsuī”.]

|

[Detected first "Recitation" activated item obtained by player. "Recitation" tutorial now in progress.]

|

[Checking player's count...sufficient for use of item active.]

|

[Please recite these words, “Even as frost melts, even as resentment corrupts, loyalty in pack, Yūsuī- sturdy will this pact be-”.]

There was an urging from that newborn soul and we did as we were asked, even when lives-old embarassment welled up at our actions.

"Even as frost melts, even as resentment corrupts, loyalty in pack, Yūsuī- sturdy will this pact be-"

Instead of black and gold light ribbons, it was to the cripsness of cold mountain air and comforting fur beneath my fingers that my new companion made himself known.

A splitting image to the now decease boss, snow white fur and pale blue, clear-as-ice, eyes, the only difference seeming to be a patch of darker fur, a silver-grey instead of snow white, on the chest where the heart would lie beneath.

Kneeling down to better face him, I brushed a part of my spirit along our new bond.

"Hello, Yūsuī. Welcome to the world."

[Deactivation words are, “-til the very end.”]