The Light That Follows Darkness

In the midst of our conversation, a profound realization washed over me like a tidal wave—an epiphany that pierced through the depths of my being. It was as if the creator, the one who bestowed upon me these extraordinary powers, whispered a profound truth into my very soul. And in that moment, I understood what was truly expected of me, not just as an individual, but as a member of a lineage yet to come.

It became clear that the creator's intention was not for me to simply embrace my monstrous side and find harmony within its depths. No, it was far more nuanced than that. The creator sought for me to grasp the delicate balance between my human and monster nature, to realize that neither extreme would lead to a fulfilling existence.

To be too human would render me weak, vulnerable to the whims of malice and condescension, a mere pawn in the game of life. Conversely, to fully succumb to my monstrous instincts would plunge me into a realm of ruthless savagery, devoid of self-awareness and disconnected from my very essence.

In this revelation, I found a guiding principle—a mantra to live by.

"Neither fully human, nor fully monster shall I be," I whispered to myself, the words resonating with newfound clarity. It was a reminder that my path lay in the delicate dance between light and darkness, humanity and monstrosity. Only by embracing both aspects of my nature could I truly discover the essence of my soul, my personality, and my true self.

With this newfound revelation swirling in my mind, I settled back into the lotus position and embarked on a deep meditation. Grateful for Eve's invaluable assistance, I made a promise to engage in more conversations with her from now on.

As I delved into the depths of my subconscious, I began to chant the mantra that had just occurred to me. Surprisingly, this time my soul didn't rebel or resist, my body didn't reject or react. The absorption of mana flowed smoothly as the particles entered through my skin, converging towards the turbulent vortex within my dantian. A battle raged within me, but I knew the remedy.

Slowly, painstakingly, I started to harmonize the chi within me with the frequency of the external mana. Initially, it was a painful process, and I coughed up blood a few times. Yet, as the mana coursed through my entire being, I could feel my body adapting to its presence and power. My skin grew thicker, my bones stronger and more flexible, my muscles honed to perfection, my vessels wider and clearer, and my senses sharpened. Under the pressure of mana, my body underwent a remarkable transformation, until finally, a flood of information surged through my brain, manifesting itself in the language I spoke.

The message was clear: Job Unlocked! Skills Manifesting.

Job Title: Soul Weaver/Spirit Sentinel

Unleashed Skills:

1st Skill: Soul Forge Dominion

2nd Skill: Soul Experience Vault

3rd Skill: Soul (Network + Bolt Barrage + Barrier + Burst Wave)

What? What is all this? It's incredible! Am I in a game?

Calm down, Xeno, calm down! This is no time to get carried away like a child. I need to understand what these skills are and how to utilize them.

And just as that thought crossed my mind, a detailed explanation of the skills and their names materialized in my consciousness:

Soul Forge Dominion: This skill comprises two subskills—Soul Armament and Collective Soul Power.

Soul Armament: Enables the user to forge weapons or armor from the souls or mana they possess. The strength of the forged equipment depends on the number of souls and quantity of mana used. Note: Excessive damage to the soul weapons or armor will result in the permanent consumption of souls. Also, only one species or nature of souls can be used to create the armament.

Collective Soul Power: Allows the user to harness the power of multiple souls simultaneously. However, only one quality of souls can be utilized at a time, and the souls must be of the same nature and species.

Soul Experience Vault: This skill consists of two subskills that work in tandem—Soul Experience Extraction and Soul Vault.

Soul Experience Extraction: As the name suggests, this subskill enables the user to tap into the stored soul’s experience and memories, like opening a treasure chest of knowledge and wisdom.

Soul Vault: This subskill grants the user access to a dimension where they can stash away the souls they have collected, as well as their gear and weapons. Only the user can use this dimension, making it a safe and convenient storage space.

Soul (Network + Bolt Barrage + Barrier + Burst Wave):

Soul Network: This subskill allows the user to link their soul with other souls, forming a soul corridor. Through this corridor, the user can communicate with the linked group, and sense any ill will or hostile intentions towards himself\herself. Note: The link can be broken or cancelled by either party, but doing so will result in losing all the benefits provided by the user through the link, including evolution. Also, by agreeing to forming a bond or pact with the user, the subject agrees to leave their soul at his disposal. This means, the subject that breaks the pact or has the bond broken by the user will leave their soul as collateral. Note: Some damage will also affect the user when the pact is broken.

Soul Bolt Barrage: This subskill allows the user to unleash a barrage of bolts made of soul power or mana, that will strike a large number of enemies with overwhelming and precise force. Note: The more mana or soul force added to the barrage, the stronger and wider it will be, like a storm of arrows raining down on the battlefield.

Soul Barrier: This subskill allows the user to create a barrier made of souls or mana, that can block magical attacks. Note: The same rule applies to this subskill, meaning that the more mana or soul force added to the barrier, the stronger and larger it will be, like a wall of steel protecting the user.

Soul Burst Wave: This subskill allows the user to release a powerful burst of magicules or soul power in all directions, creating a shockwave that either knocks out or knocks back the enemies. Note: If the enemies are weaker than the user, this subskill will also inflict damage and injuries to them.