It was unrelentingly dark this time.

A faintly glowing purple mist was the only light source in the entire space. And even then, it was only enough to illuminate me.

“Will you remain true to your intentions?”

My goals were my own, and I wasn’t about to let anyone shake them.

I will remain true to my intentions.

The purple mist swirled alongside my answer but suddenly paused and flowed away from me.

“Will you bear the truth?”

My hand reached out but was fated never to extend that far.

I will bear the truth.

The purple mist reeled in as it gathered enough to caress my face.

“Will you abstain from self-corruption?”

It sounded like something I had already agreed to.

I will abstain from self-corruption.

The purple mist accepted me in that instant and rushed towards my eyes. However, the place it dug into wasn’t them; it was the space between them.

The mist drilled away the last dregs of light and my consciousness with it.

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

Novus’ headache wasn’t comparable to the last Soul Predator Rituals. Instead, it was many times more splitting and like a body ache. All he could do was roll on the ground in anguish. His senses were all over the place, and from what he could tell, his blood flow was reversed.

For the current Novus, three Soul Partners was the absolute limit. Anymore, and he would die each time he revived at the church.

Thankfully, Novus’ iron-rank body made the turmoil subside after a long while. By the time Novus scraped the dirt from his body, the sky outside was signalling Delia's end and Phoebus' rise.

As he shook off the lingering effects, Novus held his head between his knees. Then, when he was ready to move, Novus shifted to a nearby puddle.

Through his puddle reflection, Novus finally observed his Soul Partner tattoos.

Aeon’s tattoo on his chest, above the heart, didn’t surprise Novus.

What a bloodthirsty snake. Aeon went for the heart, then the neck.

Novus readjusted his chest armour and rubbed the area between his eyes and forehead. Favur had taken a conspicuous spot, and the lavender-purple markings depicted a closed eye with two tails hidden beneath his eyebrows.

My mind’s eye. An interesting choice.

With a thought, Novus watched the tattoos fade and reappear according to his will. Content with having recovered by now, Novus got back up to his feet with weak difficulty. In a better state, a pair of system messages ambushed him.

Congratulations! You have gained a new Soul Partner, and new options for Soul Partner Channelling and Soul Partner Summoning have become available.

Congratulations! Due to bonding with the creature Lesser Kitsune, Favur attributes have increased.

A slight smile crept onto Novus’ face despite the fatigue of his facial muscles. As he walked towards the mouth of the slime cavern, a mist screened the area that blocked regular sight.

“Favur.”

Favur has accepted the use of her powers.

The faint outline of fox tails ran along Novus’ brows and sunk to form beautiful lavender eyeliner. However, the line marking a closed eye remained the same.

With a single blink, Novus’ irises added a lavender tint around the edges. The eyes were the opposite of Adrianne’s Spirit Eyes, making others feel insignificant and small. Instead, Favur’s Kitsune Eyes enchanted and lured others’ eyes.

Shhh!

Looking past the mist, Novus could see the tiny figures of players battling on the shores and reefs. The water flowed violently alongside the cavern mouth, like what Novus would expect at the end of a traditional waterfall, and showed a breakable segway to the mountainside that he couldn’t see before. With a little effort, Novus found his way to the rocky slope of the mountainside.

Clenching his hands to the slippery rocks and stabilizing his feet on sturdy footholds, Novus looked behind him at the morning glow.

It’ll be a long day of climbing to reach the mountain top by tomorrow’s sunrise.

Novus closed his eyes and felt the glow of Phoebus’ light cast upon his body. After the refreshing moment, Novus reopened his eyes and began his ascent.

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Screech!

Slash!

The black hue along Novus’ sword collided with the talons of the descending eagle and carved into its wing. Soon, the eagle began an aggressive fall towards the bottom of the mountain. Meanwhile, another gash opened across Novus’ back, seared with bearable pain.

You have been attacked by the creature Windsoar Eagle and taken moderate damage

Novus watched as the eagle attempted a futile scratching motion against the rocks and then disappeared into the mist below.

Novus sheathed his sword as he activated Mino’s Regeneration skill and felt the prickling sensation of ambient mana being guided by soul power into his gashed wound. With some pain and time, the injury would be a white scar along Novus’ back that would eventually disappear.

The ambient mana is increasing.

It felt like gravity was being reinforced with another layer pressed against Novus’ skin. This layer was mainly water vapour from the mist, but the weight was from the ambient mana contained within.

Pew!

Novus could hear Mino’s excited calls from his soul space.

Pew! Pew.

However, a few more calls rang out that were different from usual.

Hiss. Out!

The lounging snake came back to life too.

In a reluctant activation, Novus felt two small weights appear out of nowhere, using up a substantial amount of his soul power in one go.

Pew! Hiss.

The little beetle came to life outside and flew around the mana-dense mist, naturally acting as a funnel for the nearby mana. Atop Novus' shoulder, Aeon was no slouch as it opened its maw and began to suck in the mist like a vacuum.

Fwou!

The mist receded into Aeon’s body, and with Favur’s vision, Novus could already see the surrounding mist begin to thin.

Pew!

Thankfully, the usual glutton, Mino, didn’t hold a keen interest in the ambient mana-rich mist. Instead, Mino fluttered around Novus before trying to show him a path off to the side of the mountain slope.

“What do you sense, little guy?”

Pew! Pew!

Mino spun like knock-out stars around Novus’ head and finally picked up the still-suctioning Aeon with its free legs. The beetle held a surprising amount of strength in its tiny frame as it lifted the still-small python into the air. Through his soul link with Mino, Novus could vaguely sense the excitement and tinge of desire from Mino.

“Hey! Stay close!”

With Mino flying away, Novus had little choice but to follow. Perhaps it was due to the mist, but luckily, Novus didn’t encounter another mountain eagle with the two rugrats.

Odd, for not even one eagle to be patrolling around here.

However, no signs of the common, but otherwise fierce, eagles were seen in the air. Instead, a fragrance drifted in the wind, sending delighted goosebumps along Novus’ arms.

Mino, you’re a treasure bloodhound!

Novus’ climbing speed increased substantially, and a few minutes later, he was pulling himself into a cliff-faced cave.

Despite the enticing cries of the two rugrats and the pleasant scent, Novus’ attention lingered on the large grooves embedded into the edge of the cave opening. Novus’ finger brushed against the rock but then quickly twisted his body to the inside of the cave.

Pew! Hiss!

The end of the cave was close, and it wasn't hard to find the two rugrats that had rushed in before him. Decaying bones, mixed with loose trees and shrubs, made one large nest centred around one partially eaten flower.

“A Perennial Wind Flower. At least a hundred years old. That’s an unexpected find. I don't think the island is even a hundred years old.”

To Novus’ knowledge, herbs like the one before him were found in naturally concentrated areas of ambient wind mana. Seeing the herb here was odd for Novus, but it was simply lovely for Aeon and Mino.

Aeon slithered back and forth around a munching Mino, who had already started to eat the leaves before finishing with the center flower.

The herb violently swayed alongside some chaotic wind mana that escaped past Novus as a breeze. The breeze caused Novus to feel uneasy. Whatever beast had created the nest was most likely the flower’s protector, and with a sufficient call of chaotic wind mana, they were probably headed here for the flower soon.

“Recall!”

Mino has accepted the summoning recall into your soul space.

Aeon has rejected the summoning recall into your soul space.

“Dammit, Aeon!"

Hiss!

The cobalt python dodged Novus’ grab and bared its fangs at Novus.

“No! Don’t eat that!”

Gulp!

Pain!!

Novus couldn’t approach faster than Aeon could swallow the Perennial Wind Flower. Shortly after, disturbing thought fluctuations clarified how much pain Aeon was withstanding.

Novus rushed to the writhing python and felt the chaotic wind mana attempting to escape outside Aeon’s body. Frustrated by his lack of control, Novus lightly reprimanded Aeon.

“Stop eating anything you see!”

Mino’s powers flowed through Novus’ hands as he gripped the bulge in the python’s body and sifted through the releases of wind mana. Mino’s Absorption and Regeneration skills came in handy as the wind mana was dealt with faster than Novus could easily control.

Hiss!

Physically contacting the bulge in Aeon’s body was excruciatingly painful, resulting in Aeon attempting to bite Novus' hand multiple times. Soon, however, Aeon slowly retracted his fangs, and their head peacefully fell to the side.

Thankfully, one of Favur’s skills included sleep-inducing effects.

Slowly, with Mino’s power to convert the chaotic wind mana into peaceful prism mana, Aeon was recovering. Though the efficiency wasn’t nearly as effective as taking the herb to Circe to distill, the herb was absorbed into Aeon’s body at around 60% efficiency. This amount was already shocking and could only be attributed to Mino’s pure talents and Novus’ experienced mana control.

Soon, Aeon was at least stabilized. From here, It would be up to Aeon to battle against the calmed wind mana in his body.

Despite it being a soul partnership, I'm the only one contributing here.

Novus complained, then mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath. By the end, he felt much better.

Of course, the light at the end of the tunnel wasn’t clear for long.

Screech!

A deafening blast of air assaulted the cave, and Novus’ goodwill broke.

"Really?"

Hiss!

Novus didn’t have time for Aeon’s complaint as he looked at the menacing figure at the cave entrance.

It was an enormous eagle twice the size of Novus, with streaks of green adorning the crown of majestic feathers. Its loud screech made it apparent that intruders were not welcome.

Gazing upon the furious eagle, Novus’ eyes blinked before he turned and scooped up Aeon.

I’m getting Aeon a leash.