Chapter 24: Spirit Vision
The dim light flickered in the alchemy room as Dipak (now inhabiting Klein's body) stared at the dark-blue, gelatinous liquid. It looked neither fully liquid nor solid—something in between, as if it defied the laws of nature. His hands shook slightly as he held the opaque cup. This is the last step, he reminded himself, but the weight of what was about to happen made his throat tighten. The potion glowed faintly in the dimness, beckoning him to take the plunge into the unknown.
Swallowing hard, Dipak’s mind raced with doubt. “Am I supposed to drink it just like this? No ritual? No incantation? No prayer?” He had read enough to know that things involving mystical powers often required something more than just consuming strange substances.
Old Neil chuckled, the sound breaking through the tension in the room like a needle popping a balloon. “Ritual? Incantation? No, nothing like that. Well, unless you want to grab a cup of Aurmir grape wine, suck on a Desi cigar, and dance a jig while playing Gwent,” he said, humor twinkling in his red-rimmed eyes.
Dipak's lips twitched in an attempt to smile, but the unease gnawing at his insides made it difficult. Humor wasn’t going to help here.
Old Neil washed his hands at the nearby basin, not bothering to look at him. “If you feel nervous, lad, drink it quickly. The more you hesitate, the worse it’ll be. Fear will mess with the potion’s absorption.”
Dipak nodded but couldn’t help the tremor in his fingers. No turning back now, he thought. He pinched his nose, just like he used to when he was a kid taking medicine, and tipped the cup to his lips. The liquid slid down his throat with an eerie coolness, smooth but heavy, like drinking shadows.
As it reached his stomach, Dipak felt an immediate change. Something’s wrong. He could feel the liquid moving through him, not like any normal drink, but as if it was growing inside him, stretching long, cold tendrils throughout his entire body. The chill was unbearable, making his muscles spasm involuntarily.
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[WARNING: Foreign Substance Detected. Analyzing...]
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His system blared in his vision, a harsh red light flashing as it tried to process what was happening. Data scrolled rapidly across his interface, faster than he could comprehend.
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[System Overload Detected: Spiritual Power Fluctuating]
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His body convulsed as the potion sent cold spikes of sensation through every cell, making his vision blur and warp. The room around him started to change, the colors becoming brighter—too bright. Reds, blues, and blacks deepened into something more intense, as if the world was painted with the raw essence of color. The flickering gaslight became a brilliant flare of orange, casting shadows that twisted unnaturally.
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[Spiritual Power: ???%]
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His system couldn’t even get a proper reading. His Spiritual Power fluctuated wildly, the numbers rising and falling uncontrollably.
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[Spiritual Power: 110%]
[Spiritual Power: 20%]
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He dropped to his knees, gasping for breath as his vision swirled into a mess of colors. This is too much. The room around him melted, like the world itself was dissolving into an impressionist painting. I can’t handle this, his mind screamed, but his body wouldn’t respond.
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[New Ability Unlocked: Divination (Level 1)]
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Suddenly, clarity. His mind was flooded with new knowledge. Images of rituals, symbols, and the sensation of seeing beyond flooded his mind. He knew what divination was now—how to use it, how to tap into the threads of the future.
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[Spiritual Power: 35%]
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His system adjusted, his Spiritual Power finally stabilizing at a lower level. But the relief was short-lived.
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[Skill Improved: Observation (Level 3 → Level 4)]
[Skill Improved: Occult Knowledge (Level 4 → Level 5)]
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The skills flowed into him like instinct, but the world around him continued to warp. He could see, and yet he couldn’t. His surroundings blurred, and his body seemed to split from his consciousness. Am I floating? His mind felt detached, light, as if he were drifting through a thick sea of mist.
He’d seen something like this before—back when he had watched the scenes with Klein during the luck enhancement ritual. But now, it was more intense, more real. The air shimmered with strange energy, and the alchemy room became a vast, endless space filled with strange, pulsating lights.
His body convulsed again, but this time his mind felt clear. He could see the world through two lenses—the one he knew and a new one, where the spiritual world bled into reality.
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[New Status: Seer Initiate (Permanent)]
[New Status: Spiritual Exhaustion (Temporary)]
[New Status: Sensory Overload (Temporary)]
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The system updates flashed in his vision, but he was only dimly aware of them. His head felt like it was being torn apart, splitting at the seams as he heard faint whispers.
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[New Ability Unlocked: Spiritual World Perception (Level 1)]
Allows the user to perceive spiritual entities and energies.
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The world around him shifted again. Colors saturated, blurred, and twisted until Dipak wasn’t sure if he was still standing in the alchemy room or floating in some other dimension. His vision was overlaid with strange auras and ghostly outlines. Are these... spirits?
He tried to move, to focus, but his mind was bombarded by chaotic images, fragments of knowledge he didn’t understand.
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[Future Event Detected: "An encounter with betrayal looms..."]
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A jolt went through him as the system flashed a glimpse of the future. It was unclear, a blurred figure, but the word betrayal echoed ominously in his mind.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
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[Spiritual Power: 40%]
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His power stabilized, but his mental state didn’t. His head pounded, his vision splintered, and he could hear the faint whispers again.
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“Hornacis... Flegrea... Hornacis... Flegrea...”
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The words pierced his mind like needles, their meaning slipping through his grasp. His body convulsed once more, and for a moment, all he could think of was destruction—tearing down the walls, smashing everything in his path just to make the voices stop.
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[WARNING: Mental Instability Detected]
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The system’s warning was almost drowned out by the chaos in his head. He staggered, clenching his fists as he tried to focus. Old Neil’s voice reached him through the haze.
“Is your vision abnormal? Are you hearing things?”
“Yes, Mr. Neil,” Dipak gasped. “What should I do?”
Old Neil chuckled softly, but his voice was steady, reassuring. “You lack control. Focus on something simple. Something you know. Imagine it clearly.”
Dipak latched onto the suggestion like a lifeline. He imagined the first thing that came to mind—his halved top hat, a simple, familiar object. He focused on its texture, the feel of the silk under his fingertips, the exact shape of its brim.
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[Mental Stability: 60%]
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As his focus sharpened, the chaos in his mind began to recede. The afterimages stopped blurring, the whispers dulled into a low murmur, and his vision cleared, bit by bit.
“It’s better,” Dipak said, his voice steadier.
Old Neil nodded, wiping his hands dry. “Good. That’s the first step of Cogitation. You’ve stabilized the energy seepage.”
Dipak let out a long, slow breath, relief flooding through him as the world righted itself. He was back in the alchemy room, the strange visions now a dull memory at the edge of his mind.
“Did I... succeed?” Dipak asked, still feeling a little disoriented.
Old Neil smiled, holding up a mercury plate. “Look at your eyes.”
Dipak leaned forward, catching his reflection in the shiny surface. He looked the same, more or less, except for his eyes. They had darkened considerably, to the point where they almost seemed black. As though they could swallow the light, absorbing everything.
“This is the mark of a Seer,” Old Neil explained. “Once you learn Cogitation, you’ll be able to control it. But for now, congratulations, lad. You’re a Beyonder.”
Dipak felt a surge of pride and disbelief. I did it. I’m a Beyonder. A Seer.
His hands still trembled slightly as he shook Old Neil’s hand. “Thank you,” he said, feeling the weight of those words in a way he hadn’t before. This wasn’t just gratitude—it was survival.
Old Neil smiled warmly. “Let’s begin your training. You’ve already started Cogitation, so you’re halfway there. Now, let’s refine it.”
Dipak nodded, ready to push forward. But as he focused on the lessons, a strange sensation tingled at the back of his neck. His system flashed a brief warning, and before he could fully process it, his gaze
His gaze shifted instinctively, and he saw something that made his blood run cold. Behind Old Neil, just faintly visible in the dimness of the alchemy room, was a pair of translucent, cold, ruthless eyes. They had no brows, no clear features, just orbs suspended in the void, staring intently at Old Neil... and then at him.
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[WARNING: Unidentified Spiritual Entity Detected]
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A shiver ran down Dipak’s spine as he took a sharp breath, the system buzzing in his mind, amplifying his growing unease.
“There’s something—behind you!” he exclaimed, his voice trembling slightly.
Old Neil turned slowly, a tired but knowing smile creeping onto his face. “Ah, yes. Ignore them,” he said with a wave of his hand, as though dismissing a minor inconvenience. “Those are just remnants from the spirit world. Harmless... unless you pay them too much attention.”
Dipak’s heart raced as he stared at the eyes, barely able to look away. Ignore them? How could he? Those eyes were unnerving, sending a primal chill through him. But Old Neil didn’t seem concerned.
Still, Dipak forced himself to refocus, closing his eyes and picturing the halved top hat again. The system flickered, stabilizing his mental state as the sensation of the eyes watching him faded.
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[Mental Stability: 75% (Recovering)]
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Old Neil clapped his hands together. “Right, lad. Back to training. You’ve experienced the beginnings of Spirit Vision. That was your Ether Body showing you the auras around you. Now, let's strengthen that ability. First, maintain Cogitation. Think of an object that doesn’t exist in this world.”
Dipak took a deep breath, his nerves still tingling from the encounter with the eyes. He shifted his focus, imagining something out of thin air—something he hadn’t seen in this world but could vividly picture from his previous life. He focused on an intercontinental missile, like the ones he’d seen on TV. But no matter how much detail he poured into it, he couldn’t quite grasp the ethereal quality of it.
I need something impossible.
So, he shifted his focus again. He imagined spheres of light—brilliant, glowing orbs, stacking upon one another. The imagery felt surreal, otherworldly, and as he concentrated, his mind began to drift.
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[Entering Deep Cogitation]
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His thoughts grew distant, and his body felt light once more. In the dark space of his mind, Dipak saw the same fog he had experienced before—the bright clusters of light, the surreal colors, and the floating objects that seemed to exist in both the physical and spiritual realms.
He hovered there for a moment, letting the sensation wash over him. The colors and lights pulsed with a strange energy, almost like they were alive. He extended his consciousness toward them, inch by inch, feeling the connection grow stronger.
Old Neil’s voice, calm and reassuring, penetrated the ethereal space. “Very good. As expected of a Seer. You’ve entered Cogitation smoothly. You’re almost a natural.”
Dipak’s eyes fluttered open, and the alchemy room materialized around him once more. Old Neil grinned. “Now, lad, I’ll teach you one of the most useful skills for a Seer—Spirit Vision.”
He switched off the gas lamps, plunging the room into darkness, but the door was left ajar, allowing just enough light for silhouettes to remain visible. Old Neil’s shadowy figure beckoned. “In your current state, lift your hands and place them before your eyes. Your index fingers should face each other, but don’t let them touch.”
Dipak followed the instructions, his fingers hovering in front of him.
“Now, look beyond your fingers. Focus on a spot in the distance, but keep your hands in your peripheral vision. Slowly move your fingers, but don’t let them leave your sight.”
Dipak focused his gaze, casting his eyes to an empty spot in the air beyond his hands. He moved his fingers slightly, keeping them in his field of vision. Once, twice, thrice...
Then he saw it—a faint fiery-red glow forming between his fingers.
“Eh...” He made a sound of surprise.
Old Neil chuckled. “You see color? Good. That’s your aura. This is the first step in developing Spirit Vision. With time, you’ll be able to interpret it more clearly. Try it a few more times. Once it stabilizes, I’ll explain what the colors mean.”
Dipak nodded, repeating the exercise, keeping his eyes trained on the fiery-red light that formed between his fingers. He moved slowly, methodically, and as the glow grew stronger, Old Neil began to explain.
“To put it simply, a person’s aura reflects the state of their Ether Body, which corresponds to their physical health and emotional condition. Red, as you see now, reflects physical motion—your limbs, muscles. It’s the aura of movement.”
Dipak absorbed the information, intrigued by the complexity of what was happening. I can see this? He thought, marveling at the new layer of perception.
Old Neil continued. “Each part of the body gives off a different color. Your head and brain will show purple, the digestive system yellow, and your heart green. A completely healthy body will be cloaked in white, but if the colors darken or fade, it means there’s illness or exhaustion in that area.”
Dipak stared at the red glow between his fingers, imagining the potential of seeing this in others—of detecting their health, their emotions, just by looking at them. This is real power.
“Your ability will grow,” Old Neil added. “In time, you’ll be able to see more than just auras. With advanced Spirit Vision, you can glimpse deeper truths—see people’s Astral Projections, even get hints of their past and future. Some claim that the strongest Seers can see any place, any time. But, well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Old Neil laughed. “One step at a time, lad.”
Dipak nodded, a surge of anticipation coursing through him. He could feel it—his senses expanding, his understanding of the world deepening. I am a Beyonder now.
He moved his fingers again, watching the red aura flicker and stabilize. As he turned his gaze toward Old Neil, he could see the various colors surrounding him—the purple around his head, the dim red at his limbs, and a soft white glow enveloping his body.
Indeed, he’s aging, Dipak noted silently, observing how the colors seemed slightly faded.
But then, just as he was about to speak, something cold brushed against his consciousness. He squinted, focusing on the space behind Old Neil—and his heart stopped. There it was again. The translucent pair of eyes. Watching. Waiting.
Without thinking, he blurted out, “There are... eyes behind you again.”
Old Neil stopped, a shadow crossing his face before he smiled softly, almost resigned. “Yes, lad. There always are.”
The alchemy room was quiet, but the air felt thick with unseen forces. Dipak’s newly sharpened senses tingled as he stared at the space behind Old Neil.
“Keep practicing, lad,” Old Neil said, his voice softer now. “The spirit world is always closer than we think. But you’ll learn to live with it... as we all do.”
Status Update: Chapter 24
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Name: Klein Moretti (Dipak)
Age: 22
Sequence: Seer Path (Sequence 9 - Initiate)
Spiritual Power: 40% [Drained after potion consumption, slowly regenerating]
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Attributes:
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Constitution: 7
Intelligence: 11 [+1]
Spirituality: 12 [+4]
Luck: ?
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Mental Skills:
1. Acting (Level 5)
2. Authority (Level 2)
3. Beyonder Knowledge (Level 4)
4. Beyonder Risk Assessment (Level 3)
5. Cultural Adaptation (Level 3)
6. Deception (Level 4)
7. Dream Manipulation (Level 1)
8. Enhanced Perception (Level 3)
9. Genre Savviness (Level 3)
10. Historical Analysis (Level 3)
11. Investigation (Level 3)
12. Negotiation (Level 3)
13. Novel Memory Recall (Level 6)
14. Observation (Level 4)
15. Occult Knowledge (Level 5) [+1]
16. Power Assessment (Level 3)
17. Quick Thinking (Level 4)
18. Risk Manipulation (Level 2)
19. Self-Awareness (Level 3)
20. Seer Pathway Initiation (Level 1)
21. Spirit Sense (Level 1)
22. Strategic Planning (Level 2)
23. Stress Management (Level 3)
24. Tactical Awareness (Level 3)
25. Tarot Knowledge (Level 1)
26. World Awareness (Level 5)
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New Skills Unlocked:
1. Divination (Level 1)
Glimpse potential future events through rituals and spiritual means.
2. Enhanced Intuition (Level 1)
Heightened awareness and instinctual understanding of people, objects, and situations.
3. Spiritual World Perception (Level 1)
Perceive spiritual entities and energies hidden from the physical world.
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Physical Skills:
1. Beyonder Abilities (Level 2)
2. Culinary Improvisation (Level 2)
3. Evasion (Level 3)
4. Fog Manipulation (Level 3)
5. Gathering Management (Level 1)
6. History (Advanced)
7. Marksmanship (Level 3)
8. Mystical Identity (Level 1)
9. Precognition (Level 2) [+1]
10. Talisman Making (Novice)
11. Walking Stick Proficiency (Level 2)
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Status Effects:
1. Nighthawk Initiate
2. Seer Pathway Initiate (Permanent)
Fully transitioned into the Seer Pathway, unlocking Seer abilities and spiritual perception.
3. Spiritual Exhaustion (Temporary)
Temporary drain in Spiritual Power due to the intense effects of the Seer potion.
4. Sensory Overload (Temporary)
Overexposure to spiritual energies and heightened sensitivity to spiritual entities.
5. Heightened Alertness
6. Residual Hallucinations (Mild)
Lingering effects of visions and spiritual overload.
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Condition:
Physically fine, mentally strained from the potion.
Adjusting to the influx of mystical abilities and new perspectives.
Experiencing heightened sensitivity to spiritual energies and visions.
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New Perspectives Gained:
1. Beyonder Worldview
2. Sealed Artefacts Knowledge
3. Tactical Urban Navigation
4. Advanced Deductive Reasoning
5. Advanced Threat Assessment
6. Domestic Espionage Awareness
7. Seer Pathway Considerations
8. Spirit Vision Understanding [New]
9. Aura Perception and Interpretation [New]
10. Spiritual Entity Awareness [New]
11. Cogitation Practice and Techniques [New]
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Objectives:
1. Continue mastering Cogitation
Refine mental techniques to stabilize spiritual energy and control visions.
2. Practice Spirit Vision
Improve control over Spirit Vision and aura perception.
3. Explore Seer abilities
Gain a deeper understanding of divination and spiritual perception.
4. Understand the implications of the Seer Pathway
Evaluate long-term risks, including potential for madness and mental instability.
5. Adapt to heightened sensitivity to the spiritual world
Learn to manage hallucinations and control visions during daily life.
6. Strengthen rapport with the Nighthawk team
7. Investigate unknown spiritual entities detected in the alchemy room
8. Prepare for potential threats
Investigate unknown pursuers and develop countermeasures.
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Warnings:
1. Mental instability risk increased
The Seer pathway opens the mind to spiritual forces, leading to heightened risks of madness.
2. Residual hallucinations may affect judgment
3. Continued surveillance by unknown faction
4. Potential vulnerability to spiritual entities
5. Risk of visions becoming overwhelming without proper Cogitation techniques
6. Heightened sensitivity to spiri