"Wow, if you're that eager to learn a new skill... Why don'tcha tell me your magical affinities, hmm?" Lone teased as his aura manifested fox grinned, which was very disturbing.
Soph pouted and her floating manifestation spun around in discontent. "No! More magic would be pointless, you said what we're doing now will make me harder to kill which isn't pointless."
Lone shrugged. "Okay, okay. Well, try your best to figure out everything you can about your aura. Learn how to feel it, how to utilise it, how to move it. Once you think you've done that, use it to look inside your own body. You're looking for ch- Ouch. Too much. You're looking for veins that aren't veins? Okay, that works. If you can see them with Mana Sensing, that would be perfect. If you can, focus on them and try to put some power into them, be that your aura, your SP, your MP, whatever."
'The info didn't say that part because I assume it's automatic with the aura when you find the channels,' Lone commented internally. "That sound doable?"
Soph nodded. "I think I know what you're talking about. I'll give it a go!" She then closed her eyes and began concentrating.
Lone did the same, connecting himself to his horrific aura manifestation as much as he could. With his permanently active Meditation, it wasn't too hard to establish a link between himself and the blood and wound-covered beast.
It obviously didn't resist since it was, after all, just another part of him like an arm or an eye was. It was a representation of his mentality and power given shape. Why would it resist Lone when it was Lone?
The fox, when being closely inspected in this way, gave Lone the feeling that were his Basic Regeneration to not fix all signs of damage on his own body that he would look very similar to the poor beast.
However, it didn't view itself as just a 'poor beast' just as Lone didn't hold even a sliver of pity for himself either. No, it was a coiled spring ready to release and make use of all of the pain it had earned through its unending endurance at but a moment's notice. It was full of hatred and a desire for justice, both personal and overreaching, though mostly personal.
Lone felt a bond with his aura. Not a new bond forged from this introspective interaction, no, one that had always been there long before he had earned the ability to summon it at C-rank and the new ability to offensively wield the aura that came with being a B-ranker.
He needed to understand that offensive capability and essentially attack his own internal structure very carefully and very gently to locate and fill his channels, however many he had.
'Well, a normal person would need to do that. We don't do careful and gentle around here, do we?' Lone thought, asking his aura manifestation.
The massive fox's disfigured lips moved as if to laugh before the beast dove straight into Lone's chest and disappeared. It then rampaged around within his body, causing nigh indescribable pain to him, having clearly found the target of its search, his channels.
As it tore through them, Lone gained a new permanent awareness of the channels' locations, numbers, and states. While it only took the beast perhaps three or four minutes to finish its devastation of Lone's metaphysical internals, it had felt like decades to him.
The pain was unlike any other he had ever felt before to the point he had collapsed and screamed loudly enough to stop all of Soph's efforts and Breena's training.
Soon, people came running to their location to find just what had caused such a soul-shattered screech to emerge from a person's throat.
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Lone slowly opened his eyes and groaned loudly.
'Well, that was fun. You did that a lot before we met, right?' Darkness asked. 'Passing out from doing something stupid.'
'The guild's info said it would only hurt, not be life-threatening. Fuck. It feels like my body is boiling,' Lone replied with a grimace. He struggled to even open his eyes.
"Lone?! Are you okay?" the voice of Soph asked.
He could immediately tell despite his condition that he was in a bed so he'd clearly been moved somewhere to recover, implying his unconsciousness hadn't been brief. "How long this time?"
"Um, only a few hours. I can't see any injuries on you so when you screamed like that and collapsed... I got scared. Did you, um, at least get the skill? If not, Sophie and me are going to be very, very upset with you..." Soph warned though Lone could hear the love and relief in her tone.
"I did what the slate told me to, even if a tad more roughly than expected, so I'd fuckin' hope so..." Lone said, trying his best to resist the pain coursing through his entire being. "Gimme a sec to check my logs..."
Soph nodded and waited in anticipation.
The host has developed the active skill: Internal Strengthening Arts.
Active Skill: Internal Strengthening Arts
A skill foreign to the system that is acquired by those seeking to make themselves incredibly hard to injure.
Allows the host to move their own energy through their internal channels to strengthen their organs and muscles.
Current level of strengthening: None
Amount of internal channels: 27,300
Cost: 27,300 of any energy source per full circulation of the host's channels. Mastery: Beginner Level 1
Congratulations! The host's hard work and experimentation have resulted in their active skill [Internal Strengthening Arts] gaining a new effect when otherwise it would not have!
Active Skill: Internal Strengthening Arts
A skill foreign to the system that is acquired by those seeking to make themselves incredibly hard to injure.
Allows the host to move their own energy through their internal channels to strengthen their organs and muscles.
Current level of strengthening: 0
Amount of internal channels: 27,300
[New!] The host's internal channels are immune to both aura and soul damage.
Cost: 27,300 of any energy source per full circulation on the host's channels. Mastery: Beginner Level 1
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The host has developed the passive skill: Soul Pain Resistance.
Passive Skill: Soul Pain Resistance
A skill that allows the host to resist soul pains while still being aware of their existence at varying levels based on mastery.
All soul pains shall be weakened by 5%.
Cost: N/A Mastery: Beginner Level 1
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 2.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 3.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 4.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 5.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 6.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 7.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 8.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 9.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 10.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 1.
The skill's level-ups went on and on until finally, they stopped only when the skill had reached advanced level seven.
Congratulations! The host's hard work and experimentation have resulted in their passive skill [Soul Pain Resistance] gaining a new effect when otherwise it would not have!
Passive Skill: Soul Pain Resistance
A skill that allows the host to resist soul pains while still being aware of their existence at varying levels based on mastery.
All soul pains shall be weakened by 30% [+25%].
[New!] All soul pain born as a result of injured internal channels will be resisted 50% more by the host [this percentage is multiplicative, not additive.].
Cost: N/A Mastery: Advanced Level 7
'That's a new one. My soul's definitely been injured before but I guess never in a way that caused pain? Did the eldritch knowledge I've experienced result in injuries to both the soul and mind but only pain in the latter? Must have since this resistance is new,' Lone concluded.
'Why the additional effect? Honestly, I can barely feel it. My whole body is numb and feels like its on fire at the same time.' The only reason he was even remotely coherent right now despite the immense soul pain was because of his vast experience enduring physical and mental pains.
'My best guess is that I got it for getting to advanced with the only source of soul pain being from my meridians, or 'internal channels' as the system calls 'em. Kinda like how I got that extra effect on Teaching Mastery for never charging for my teaching until advanced rank. Useless fuckin' effect long-term considering what I did made my channels immune to further soul damage,' Lone surmised as he slowly stood up, which was harder than it seemed given he couldn't feel his body past the pain.
"I got the skill, yup, so this wasn't a useless scare if that's of any comfort," Lone finally replied.
Soph gave him a hand to stabilise him as she asked, "Are you okay? You've never struggled to stand like this before... If Basic Regeneration can't fix thi-"
"It's soul pain," Lone said, interrupting her worried questions with a smile. Or, at least, he assumed he was smiling. It was hard for him to tell right now. "I got the skill but greatly damaged my internal channels at the same time. I likely need a few days or weeks for them to recover but I can ignore the pain and function as if it isn't there."
'I got better from my condition after my fight with the eldritch horror so I don't see why I wouldn't get better in this case,' Lone thought.
Soph bit her bottom lip in frustration. "I don't like seeing you in pain. Neither of us do."
"I know, but it'll make me stronger and the stronger I am, the less likely we both are to die, which I think is the better outcome. Where's Breena and should we expect anyone from the clan or the caravan to come meet us? Are we good to just return to our assigned rooms? Where even are we?" Lone asked in a flurry to distract Soph from her very valid concerns, concerns that he didn't want to talk about right now.
Soph replied, "Breena went back to training after she learned you'd be okay. It, uh, well... Sophie came out and told her her worries were unwanted but in, em, less kind words. We're in Doctor Shulma's Medicinal Hall. This is one of the private patient rooms. It, uh, it has enchantments on the walls to prevent sound from escaping. You were screaming in your sleep all the way up to about thirty minutes ago when the screams turned into grunts. We can't leave until Doctor Shulma says you're fit to go, but, uh, I could just teleport us away if you want."
"No, no, I've caused enough trouble by creating a scene. We can wait. I'd love to ask a doctor what kind of skills they have. By the way, the screams likely stopped because my new skill, Soul Pain Resistance, hit advanced rank," Lone said as softly as his condition would allow him.
It was honestly a surprise that his lips and tongue were moving as he wished them to considering his lacking control of his regular limbs.
The door to the room opened just a moment later. A short foxkin man with two tails and a pair of lower-rimmed glasses sitting atop his perfect nose had pushed open the door with his back and quickly took a seat next to the bed Lone and Soph were standing next to. He had a book of some sort in one hand and a pen in the other.
The handsome young-looking man smiled at Lone and Soph before saying, "Remarkable that you can stand at all, even with assistance. What a special guest you are, indeed. To think, a person would allow their aura to ravage their channels with no host input at all. The fact you can even think coherently is a Primals-given miracle. I'm Doctor Shulma. It's a pleasure to meet you. We have a few small matters to discuss and then you're free to go if you feel fit enough to do so. Shall we begin?"
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In a lifeless space that was blacker than black, darker than darkness, emptier than emptiness, but above all else, hungrier than hunger itself, three sets of golden chains coiled around a figure. A pair of raging eyes slowly peeked open which belonged to this figure.
"He hurt himself again and grows stronger still. What a spitting mirror image. Well, if no one else is going to help him fix this, just like last time and the time before that, I will."
The eyes closed and Void set about to repair the damage done to Lone's internal channels at the cost of its own dwindling supply of energy.
After all, his avatar had refused to use the gift Void had granted him for its freedom so the Primal had no way to recover, especially with these chains around it. It wasn't the avatar's fault. He didn't have access to the needed resources to use the skill for the longest time and now that he did, he hardly trusted Void.
Blame him Void could not, and help him he would. These two things were truer than truth and more inevitable than inevitability.