Why did Chosen Ones always have rough starts? If one were to think deeply about it, many answers could be given. However, from Damian’s experience in Fate’s Guide, there was a very common factor.

‘All high-grade characteristics have huge penalties.’

Special talents or abilities were the elements that made the weak beginning characters playable, but they were often also the cause of their misfortune.

In Iris’ case, she was meant to perform well by devouring resources. Yet, the penalty was what stood between her and obtaining these resources. Without them, she was completely useless as an Aura Knight.

‘It’s all for me to use now.’

Thankfully, knowing these hidden trap elements was Damian’s privilege as Iris’ Plot Armor. So, there was no way he was going to miss out on their effect.

In fact, Damian hypothesized that even using one Life Stone would have a great effect on Iris’ body. However, he didn’t do all of this work for nothing. If he wanted to properly enjoy the results, he had to go all or nothing!

[ Aura +1 ]

It wasn’t really much of a bet, but it immediately started paying off. Although the rich stream of energy made Damian feel bloated, that feeling immediately dispersed as something miraculous happened.

Now that it was back in its body of origin, the tiny slivers of Platinum Aura were like vicious beasts that bounced on their naive prey.

Without showing any remorse, it dragged the large particles inside as their size started to gradually decrease before landing back in Damian’s heart.

[ Aura +1 ]

‘The talent’s name isn’t the least bit exaggerated.’

He couldn’t see inside the body, but Damian was somehow able to sense everything from the tiny slivers’ perspective.

Although the start of the process felt like a calm fishing session, it quickly turned into a brutal show of consumption.

Was it because it had been starved for long? Iris’ Aura just didn’t seem like it would be full any time soon.

[ Aura +1 ]

[ Aura +1 ]

The large energy particles kept charging in like fools, easily falling for the sweet trap, but in time, their numbers started to decrease just as Damian felt his heart getting full.

‘Will this be it?’

Considering that 6 points of Aura had allowed him to use it 6 times, Damian estimated that his possible charges had now become 10. That in itself was great progress for the stagnant Iris, but Damian’s greed didn’t stop there.

Fortunately, while the other Life Stones seemed to be mostly drained, the Hobgoblin’s bounty was still going strong, giving Damian hope that something just might happen.

‘Keep going…’

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With tightly shut eyes, Damian poured all his focus into the fishing hooks, trying to propel them to pull and tear harder.

Although he wasn’t sure whether what he did helped or not, Damian was elated to see another pop-up screen appear before his eyes one more time!

[ Aura +1 ]

However, at the same moment that happened, Damian’s heart started beating far too rapidly. The slight fullness that he felt earlier was turning into bloating. At this rate, Iris’ heart was going to literally explode.

Usually, one would fall into even more panic once they perceived such a sensation, but as someone who overcame the barrier of death so many times, Damian calmed his nerves even further.

‘Just let the body do its work.’

While all the Life Stones were now basically depleted, Damian’s work wasn’t done yet. Just forcing the foreign energy into his heart wasn’t going to cut it. He had to make it his!

The previous particle-tearing didn’t process them, it just cut them down into tiny malleable pieces. Now he had to take those and circulate them through his Aura Channels using Platinum Aura Nurturing!

Iris had already explained the following steps to Damian before he started, but he decided to incorporate both Iris’ instructions with her own body’s instincts.

Although she might have never used a Life Stone before, Iris had already practiced Platinum Aura Nurturing countless times that the process was ingrained into her body.

Now that the shredding part was done, what followed was exactly the same as what Iris practiced every single day!

[ ‘Platinum Aura Nurturing’ has been used. ]

Damian only had to focus on the first few cycles, but after that, it felt like everything was being automatically processed. Soon enough, Damian’s heart started calming down as things took their course.

One cycle after the other, Damian felt empty rather than full. It was as if even the Aura that he had from the start was dissipating.

‘Wrong.’

Rather than flying away, the Aura and Energy mixture was just shrinking on itself as if being concentrated into something more condensed!

Moreover, it was starting to take a constant shape, one that expanded beyond the limited scope of the heart!

[ First ‘Aura Ring’ has been condensed. ]

As if affected by the continuity of the circulations, the shape that the Platinum Aura took was that of an endlessly circling Ring.

The circle had somehow taken orbit around the heart, circling it like an engine. Nevertheless, instead of feeling irked by its existence, Damian felt more complete.

‘It’s resonating with something.’

At first, the Aura Ring’s orbit was irregular, but just like it was the right piece of the puzzle, it quickly slid down to its right place, horizontally circling the very center of the heart.

[ ‘Platinum Aura Nurturing’ has reached Tier-1. ]

{Damian? Damian!}

Once this small internal adventure came to an end, Damian broke out of his trance to find Iris staring at his face with worry and panic. Despite assuring her about everything, it seemed like she was still worried.

“I’m fine… Great actually.”

The fatigue in his body was still mostly there, but Damian felt like his spirit could break through the roof!

The Life Stones in his lap had now completely lost their luster, turning into normal gray rocks. However, Damian wasn’t brought down by their sight, a resource well-spent was never truly a loss!

{Then… Did you actually do it? Did it help?}

Seeing Damian’s smile, the anticipation in Iris’ heart could no longer keep itself contained. Her imaginary dream had actually been achieved.

For the first time since she was overcome with despair, Iris wanted to jump back into her body and personally check everything!

“Why don’t we find out?”

Pressing the group to prop himself up, Damian’s smile widened as he called out in his heart.

‘Status Window.’

It was time to check the first true change that he initiated as a cheating Plot Armor!