Duck's head or neck were kind of small targets, yet great ways to damage any living beings. Ducks had a significant point of weight and mass in their torso alone, obvious by their physicality that had small legs protruding from hefty rest. It was where most meat was, followed by a head with beak, skull, and longer neck.
For Anatidaes, even if they were strange creatures, they looked like ducks, so what was commonplace to name them as such? Well, the truth stemmed from the Anatideamons, reaching from the Bloodline of beasts from the Endless Skies. It was about the origin. A broadness that Gods touched a long time ago above this world.
Anatidaes had some differences that no ducks could bear. Their feathers were intricately connected to the rest of their body, going deep, acting like armor, second skin, and most of them were layered upon each other. In this sense, the Anatidae Golem that Murai had the privilege to fight had some clever imitating ideas that Levandis tried to copy, apart from the way layers shed and changed the golem. No Anatidaes could lose their feathers and get more powerful in return. That wasn't how theirs worked.
Visible feathers were most sturdy and clear by the naked eye, with others below being much softer, but still being part of the whole package. Some carried softer defenses that absorbed damage, whereas the outer ones took care of more direct hits. It was a neat defensive and natural formation that worked from birth and it was also getting better the more their Vitality and age rose.
As for the rest of their physical aspects, their necks were much more flexible and stronger than normal ducks. Then, their beaks were their most prized possession, indicating power, sturdiness, sharpness, and most notably strength and power to smack things apart. It was on par—if not much more powerful—in physicality alone to some of the prominent beasts like eagles.
Unfortunately, not everything was a blessing in disguise. Feet were their shortcomings that were almost impossible to resolve besides some significant care, training, technique, Influence Item, or evolution choice that would potentially change such shortcomings for something else. It wasn't worth gambling most of the time because most Anatidaes learned to work with them in some way, opting to focus on what actually mattered. Murai was no different, although his options and life were a little bit different from the normal one.
Evolutions were powerful choices and research within most potential sub-species or species in general. Will of the Battleworld would know about them, as it was the defining factor to every beast that was about to undergo evolution, closed onto some Wall, or touched upon some Influence Items. It was something integral for beasts of this world, as evolutions weren't something one forgot. People could because it wasn't important to them.
Murai felt it before his fateful first choice, waiting, speaking, and doing its things at a time when he had no ideas about this world or how things worked. Now he did, and he figured his next choice would be extremely crucial. It was curious just which choices he recently uncloked and what they meant. He didn't ask questions or demand some significant clarity.
He could have.
Every evolution was predetermined by numerous requirements and stakes. That was the rule of everything this world touched. Even attributes were the same, and many things had the same basics of giving tools for something in return.
But what about completely new evolutions? The already established species, or sub-species had its Bloodlines and things to work with, but the world was large, and possibilities and changes were even more extensive. There were many things something could touch and change. Even a simple stream could turn into a massive river.
Creation would bring possibilities that few ever felt, as it meant establishing completely new variables within a species, Bloodlines, and Codex, which was the requiem to the changes.
It was about a force of change and acceptance. It had to be reviewed, established, or forced into the creation. Such occurrence would establish a new line within the Bloodlines of a species, or a new diversion in the subspecies. Requirements would shift, ways of evolution would then fall on the Will of the Battleworld, and species would advance ever so slightly.
Being the forefather of a brand new sub-species was seen as an incredible achievement. It could also give Titles, such as Forefather, Pioneer, or Bloodline Creator, so being such a specimen was full of pride and completely new possibilities. Those weren't available under the Battleworld's Codex under any other circumstances.
On a broader scale, this idea about forcing things onto a new page meant higher heights, Breaches, or limiters never seen before under millions of beings, if not more. A lot of it mattered to what kind of species worked was like, or how a new choice would fit onto those Bloodlines.
The more limited the species, the tougher the requirements for new evolutions became. The more widespread a beast was, the more such Pioneers appeared, and fewer new choices became possible. At some point, it would be straight-up impossible, yet with already widened scales, a new choice wasn't as hard as one would expect. It was a matter of perspective and what a new choice would handle or do.
Most such beasts or species would have a very sensitive situation around them, or factors such as souls, teachers, or influences. Becoming one with creator-level Titles meant a certain pride, protection, and also hunting possibilities. Some nasty hunters would spend unimaginable effort to catch new Bloodlines, which was a one-of-a-kind prize.
And since the already established new evolutions meant future ones anyway, killing them was fine. Endangered species were hardly a problem in the Battleworld when the flow of evolutions evolved many beings regardless of distance or families. It was a factor that made this whole evolution system attached to this world, locked and loved by the users and Gods, and giving weight and rules in more ways than one would see.
Even completely unrelated sub-species, families, or tribes could get the same Bloodline evolution choice that was created continents away. Of course, that meant as long as requirements or compatibility were feasible. That was the first law of this commanding evolution.
Uncovering a brand-new evolution was nearly impossible for some species. Divine Beasts had even worse, for their Bloodline was already strong, and giving it something new might create more headaches than gifts.
Way too many things made such an idea feasible. One wouldn't find it. One had to crack it like a code or Law and establish a new legacy. Only great tribes and soaring beasts would willing to do it, experiment, see failures, or mistakes, and even then, they had their significant history, so why try to force it? Finding passable conditions might be rare.
New heights, limiters, or taking a variety of powers made a myriad of changes, which might suggest mistakes or shame. Prerequisites and usual concerns were Affinites, unique combos such as body, soul, or ability, and elements, Laws, or creation of brand new techniques, spells, or abilities. There was a near-endless web of interest when it came to Bloodlines and evolutions, and Influence Items were another pivotal and weird variable, but it was subjective to luck and Bloodline purity or quality, and getting a great Item was sometimes harder than looking for Laws.
Paths were similar in this creation, yet stone-cut into the already established powers that ruled the universe in much clearer acts.
Beasts weren't important. They were almost regarded like animals.
Paths ruled supreme and beasts rarely had them.
Creating a Path was different from the fundamental principles. Pathways made them all possible. One can't create a Pathway. Only Paths that had to mend towards the Pathways.
That one single factor made already predetermined Paths much better, since complications when establishing brand new Paths were heavy, unlike with evolutions that held at least some clarity since it involved bodies mostly.
Paths could be anything.
Murai was pretty much sure about the way Paths and Pathways worked. He created and handled some Paths a couple of times, in different lives and worlds and times, so he got the gist of their hikes and rules.
Not in this life so far, however.
There were some mentions and meaningful glances at the Soul Pathway from some bits in his memory. It seemed his Robust Spirit was some sort of mysterious power that happened and changed according to his soul, this world, and it didn't happen by his choice. It didn't happen on its own either, so that was curious. Battleworld granted it to him, giving him benefits that were at Grade SS at their core.
That was the most insane thing out of anything he had, which poised as variable and distrust. Since he got it, he wasn't sure how to think of it.
Lisa changed that a little bit because she knew this world and what such a grand gift as Grade SS ability meant. She told him how crazy it was, and how he should think of his potential duality or triplet of powers.
Soul, evolutions, and a Path.
This triplet sounded very intense, but not everyone would be willing to follow them at the same time. Bit by bit, the consensus on how one touched and viewed the Paths and evolutions were the same. Souls were much weirder, almost unattainable by anyone because of their sheer complexity.
But it was true that one could try to walk it all.
Souls were just not viable, even when those with second lives walked around this world. The kind that Murai held was of a different kind even then, thanks to his Cursed Living. Lisa thought variable Breaches happened with him and the Codex, so some things transpired along the rules, while others had no way of happening because of something.
Answers won't come. Why? Lisa figured many things didn't make sense because of unclear conditions. She had no answers, so she couldn't give Murai what he sought. Hoping for it was all they could muster.
Soul Pathways was one of the weirdest Pathways in the universe, so thinking about it and him at the same time was kind of tough. But it was true there was some potential and his soul guaranteed some safety or interest. Lisa was more confident about it than ever.
Getting anything about souls was difficult. Lisa mentioned how their requirements were heavy and strict because this world touched it in much more elevated patterns than any other power. Blessed usually had some policies, thanks to their second-life nature, so they were usually the causes of some strange happenings.
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It went without saying that someone like Murai was within and far from this norm, which meant insanity for regular mortals, and something unnatural for others. Maybe even for Gods? Lisa found some oddities with him, this world, and how Levandis, Lordis, and Vermillion hovered like shadows over them.
The potential use of different Paths was also suitable, even if it was potentially troublesome if too many things fused under one's grasp. A nice duality was often better than a questionable triplet of powers.
For now, Murai had no grasp of any Path in the Soul Pathway, even though some bits of his soul proved to say otherwise. The soul could be quite separate, while the body could handle some magic and the body could do the same.
For once more, his soul had its benefits that came off from the Codex or something else. Strike of the Will was an ability that he had for a long time and it worked with his Will alone. That was an aspect of Soul Pathway. He could also count other things such as Soul Manifestation, Soul-Lock, Robust Spirit and its three Identity Skills, and their respective soul attributes.
It made a clear picture that his soul was sturdy and this world couldn't change it. However, none of this changed much since he got his evolutions or even soul abilities.
Robust Spirit arrived fairly quickly into his life, acting with his soul itself and turning it close to the flesh and a bunch of other things.
Lisa and Murai went through some ideas about how it was possible. Lisa suggested that since his soul was so ridiculous, Battleworld accepted some Breaches by his mere presence or some readings, thus an inevitable happened.
Or it could've been a mistake, which Lisa doubted was possible, but what if it wasn't a joke?
It happened rather naturally, so she had her suspicions. So far, everything he held acted like official power that one would expect after meeting some requirements. Sometimes, it even increased via Boosts while more than likely disregarded Paths or Pathways altogether because he was still a Child.
In any way, Murai had some interesting soul powers without any mentions of a Soul Pathway. Murai personally didn't know what he wanted either, and since it happened out of his reach, what's the point in worrying?
Lisa was a bit frustrated because of it. If a Breach hadn't happened, then what?
Could this all be just one massive blunder like his living?
Murai held interesting influences. His soul powers were clear and hard to increase besides the Will. Soul Read was relatively decent as well, and one of the rarer ones that he got the hang of. Robust Spirit was more bizarre, as he wasn't sure how to think of its Grade SS and all of its mysterious effects. This followed Strike of the Will which he hardly used because he couldn't bother thinking of it as something decent. From the description, it was lacking even if it was an offensive push of his Will. For now, he thought of it as auxiliary power that might come in handy after other things.
He used to have Soul Essence and Soul-Body, while Soul Power and Soul Force all revolved around the soul and Robust Spirit that he awakened after some luck or fusions.
Lisa never heard of Robust Spirit, so she could offer him her ideas alone.
Murai wasn't as curious as to how or why it happened. Lisa had her theories, but in a sense, it wasn't anything terrible.
Once someone got any power, it was impossible to take it back after accepting and finishing their readings and Boosts. Blessings gifted by a God were the same. It was kind of helpful in some comforting and disturbing sense.
Murai was cold towards most of it, thinking that what happened, happened. That was all about it.
The same idea went towards an incoming arena at the bottom of a dark chasm. However, unlike with things outside of his reach, Murai cherished his chances of giving training more weight and some soul powers were redundant. They could change something, but physical things were more up to his tastes when his blood and body heated up. His mana kept on flaring without any form. For now, Murai wanted to taste the power of his flesh.
One Grand Rhiner was right before his face, bearing its spike towards his chest. So Murai angled his clutched beak, thrusting against that spike in the middle of its forehead.
Murai stepped a single step backward without even using Beak's Blitz or anything else. What was around his body was mana and the beginning of his Heavenly Shaping, which was different from regular Shaping.
As he figured, this fundamental technique changed him like a curse. Reclaiming clarity was tough and fighting in the heat of battle was different than staying on a bed or Bagus. Mana Flow was more fierce and stability and control were up to mind. For some factors to come out of the Codex or Will of the Battleworld, he had to reach certain families and discover their effects. Or come to terms with Pillage or his Heavenly Shaping Manual, which was a key to a lot of things, but a surge of intent and knowledge from Boosts was kind of quick and easy. Pillage argued that taking that voice for a helpful scrutinous bastard was better than ignoring it and calling it a senile useless piece of shit.
Heavenly Shaping already moved onto his flesh and mind, so it was too late to regret what it caused or played with.
Around him was a small manifestation of the Heavenly Shaping technique, which was something new that regular Shaping didn't have.
Calling it an aspect wasn't very wrong. He could call it anything he liked, and even Pillage called it many things. A Surge, Mana Waves, Conjuration Flow, or others, they made nothing concrete, yet it could change in mere moments. A simple Shaping would change this entire mana. It was closely resembling the fleshly powers that Anatidaes had.
Ever since he got this new Shaping, whenever he turned into his Conjuring, mana flew out of every inch of his body like a torrent that was hard to stop. Since he had his hoodie all the time, this flow came from his neck, tail, belly, ass, or face. If he had his hood on, it truly made his face shine and eyes gleaming.
A lot of it seemed to have some stages. Murai discovered it by flooding the Heavenly Shaping Manual a few times in the last few days. Mana Flow affected it in some way, and everything was closely related to what Pillage mentioned in their first meeting.
It was beastly magic at the core, working with Beast Core and its aspects, and wilderness, mana, and Bloodlines followed it behind, creating a way into the Manual's truths. In some ways, the Codex should see it as well, but Pillage promised that the individuality of his technique was reliable and nothing should stop it.
This pointed to a question that some things could be stopped, but Murai was too busy thinking about his Shaping and didn't ask about it.
That idea wasn't all happy news for everyone. A lot of things worked better when Will of the Battleworld catered towards a beast.
So... in his case, it was kind of lacking for others, but Murai would call it a blessing. He hadn't gotten a single word from Will of the Battleworld since he got this technique, for obvious reasons.
Right now, he was hoodless, hoping to seek his physicality against the flesh of a Level 41 Grand Rhiner. He lacked clear defined boundaries after enduring his training.
He tried sparring against Bagus, David, or Itrosh, but those were all too strong against him, so he wasn't sure if he should feel sorry for himself or them.
Being happy that he finally met a way to find answers to his ideas brightened his soul. He should've forced some fights against those pesky Hunters a long time ago, but Lisa either refused him or compelled Bagus to fly away. Back then, Murai found that he could push his Will to Bagus fairly easily, but even then, that silly Grifthart didn't listen to him.
Being careful was why and some things pushed some of his boundaries, while others didn't. Lisa might be both. Sometimes.
They were Hunted, so having a plan or a steady way ahead was more important than being stubborn beasts that wanted to fight.
It would be a start of massive blunders if they would stop for Murai to fight and train thrice a day.
So when their rest came with unexpected troubles, Murai was more than happy.
He clutched every fiber of his body under his hoodie, stepped onwards, and pushed against that spike with his beak alone. Grand Rhiner clashed against him, but Murai gnawed at its spike, stumbling this foolish beast aside as he sidestepped and forced the spike aside, twisting its feet and center of balance.
An unsteady footing was a clear problem for most beasts with a limited center of balance or way too much forward momentum. Murai knew it himself, so he pulled a strategy card ahead first. Grand Rhiner stumbled but got to its feet quicker than Murai expected. Painful ferocious anger was in its face, growls came from its mouth, and its expression lingered like defined howls.
In Murai's Soul Read, it felt like a beast that got slapped by a child.
It desired this clash again.
Too late for that.
Murai won't give this little beast such taste for free.
Grand Rhiner pounced anyway, and Murai backed away because other beasts reached the ground. This move stumbling the first Grand Rhiner onwards when Murai sidestepped half a dozen steps like a coward. It went onwards, clearly unable to change the direction all that well because of its hefty spike.
It exposed its neck. A chance! Murai wasn't close with his beak, so it was time for his Heavenly Shaping.
Mana around him looked like a thin azure mist followed by a dozen patterns of waves. It was pure, without any Affinity, but it could be one with Flame. He tried it briefly some days ago, figuring that most of his Affinities had some neatness to them and Heavenly Shaping could use them. He hadn't discovered specifics even when he mentioned this to Pillage, so this was either advanced stuff or potential trouble.
Heavenly Manifestation, as Pillage named this mist after struggling to force Murai's names away, worked for the benefit of Beast Core and this technique. It wasn't a foundation, but a good beginning to handle a large amount of mana. It was far from being efficient if mana swirled all over his body like fool odor.
For now, having basic purity was better than complex foolishness, or turning attention to other types of Heavenly Shaping. It had many faces like most legacy-level manuals. Affinities often changed mages across the board, giving options, Paths, and a multitude of options and spells.
Murai had three affinities in total if one didn't include the pure one, which many disregarded as full-fledged affinity. His three tools didn't surprise Pillage at all. He knew how Anatidaes had and owned their Universal Affinity like a curse, giving them the option to possess what the universe possessed.
Murai wondered if it included his soul if he ended up like one, or if Pillage exaggerated his words like usual.
Anyway, he hadn't spoken to him much about Anatidaes to this day because of various reasons. Time might be that, followed by limits inside the Manual, or Pillage's odd personality. Murai wasn't willing to give up that easily, and he had more questions than willingness for answers.
Waves of mana turned and twisted, forming a technique in the Heavenly Shaping called Insta Cast. It wasn't a Surge. That stage was subject to more immediate, quicker, and specified movements of mana akin to large play of spells. Things like many Sharpblades worked the best with it, as it was more about control and pushing power.
Insta Cast worked best with spells that needed aiming, care, and less attention to detail and force. Since Heavenly Shaping worked with speed and efficiency the most, there was an incredibly high ceiling and work for accuracy. Without any surprise, some problems went along with Beast Core, and Heavenly Shaping, and this wilderness seeped into his flesh and mana.
Being accurate while maintaining a balance between Conjurign and Shaping was essential to any mage. No one wanted to lose their mana and use their spells for nothing. So, if one succeeded with Shaping and arranging a spell onward, one should also be accurate in their attacks afterward.
That was what magic was all about. A fickle play of control, power, and touch over mana.
Finding a way to handle everything that made magic was a work of failures or success. Murai got that idea long ago. He accepted his failures and shortcomings with ease and never thought some shortcomings were worse than deaths on the battlefields or in the hands of loved ones.
This was new to him regardless of that, which he didn't take with arrogance or a surprising amount of wisdom.
He was still a little scornful. Perhaps it was his soul and personality traits that made him like that, or his confidence about finding new things was off the chart, or his so-called stubbornness was the answer to everything.
There were many things to magic, people, and Curses walking, flying, dreaming, or drowning around the universe.
With his Beast Core on hold, there were numerous Conjuration problems that Murai understood quite easily and quickly, shaking Pillage's understanding of what an Anatidae could do, and what his former species and students had.
It was almost laughable by now, but not poor, or sad. Pillage realized that time must've passed a lot since his passing and everything about his little blissful locked prison was a work of art and sadness. It was a shame to admit it, but he would call Murai a master any day. It was an acceptable idea that came from Pillage's shattered convictions, locked prison, and hope.
Murai didn't think much of it; he had seen far too many things out there for one more to matter too much. His mana was the same. It will work or he will force it to work. The waves of azure mana turned and pointed onward like a wavering hand that changed to a bunch of rough arrows. It happened within a second, straight out of the Conjured mist. Mana Arrows barely formed at their full length, but Murai sent them anyway, piercing the neck of this unfortunate Gramd Rhiner who took this sudden barrage like a seastorm.
He failed.