Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Skullius had a lot of fun playing with the Gravel Runes. For the sake of research, as well as amusement, he stored and released objects from the temporary storage to extract more information about the other limits and potential upsides of using this form of spatial containment.r

The additional findings were exciting. r

Just like spatial storage tools of various kinds, the temporary storage rune network allowed him to store non-living objects and could preserve perishables or items prone to degradation through the passage of time. Taking advantage of this feature, he tried to store more complex things just to analyse the extent to which he could exploit this new addition to his utilitarian arsenal.r

To his surprise, fire, pressurised air, mana, water vapour, among other like-mannered matter could be contained uniquely within this space mainly because Skullius could manually control the shape and size of it – though the aforementioned limit still stood.r

Essentially, the storage was conforming, something basic storage rings couldn’t do!r

In more ways than he had imagined, this was far better than his conventional means of storage, more than he had initially thought at least. r

Additionally…r

“Can I also…?” Skullius said as he drew the same rune network for temporary storage in the air thrice.r

As he imagined, his arm sank into the first established storage. It was the same size as before. He retrieved his hand and extended it into the other network of runes above it and… it also dove in!r

This worked a third time with the other rune network as well!r

“Hahaha. I’m only 20 times behind that old hag but this is cool too,” Skullius chuckled.r

Surprisingly, he could summon a limit of three temporary storage spaces, all of them the same size as the first – the size of a small house.r

What made this an even more appealing discovery was that these storages, after a close inspection, were linked to Skullius in a more intimate fashion than the storage objects, though the process of access could be said to be a bit more time-consuming since the runes needed to be created every time the user wanted to reach into the storage space.r

For lesser efficient users, this could be a detriment.r

Luckily, through Hobbu Gogo’s memories, Skullius new a way around this drawback, even though he wasn’t too slow when summoning the runes.r

Removing the attire protecting his torso to reveal toned muscles sculpted under his blameless skin, Skullius, with his finger, began carving the rune network over his abdomen with mana, burning his skin in the process. After the runes were fully drawn above his belly button with a crispy, slightly bloody look to them, Skullius wore a sheepish smile.r

“I’ll have to make sure that I don’t erase this whenever I use [Saint Lumis’ Benign Arc],” he said to himself.r

Carving the rune network on a surface near a mana source was a great way to shorten the time for activation. In this case, the runes were near Skullius’ mana core and the groves he had made over his skin acted as a mechanism to have the mana traced into the form of the rune network quickly.r

It wasn’t the best solution but it was something. With enough self awareness, it would be nigh instantaneous.r

Skullius then drew two more networks on his abdomen and nodded in satisfaction.r

“Now, instead of storing excess mana around my core, I can store some more in the temporary storage.”r

After analysing the temporary storage, Skullius checked the other functions of the Lesser Gravel Runes. Protection was pretty straight forward. Once more, Skullius found the network to have a stacking limit of only three times.r

Once the networks for protection – Skullius knew four types – were erected around him, the Hybrid Luman found that the strongest could defend against a total of 10 hits with more or less the same amount of power behind his previous full 30,000 ton raw physical attack.r

This wasn’t pretty bad in Skullius’ opinion, though this version guaranteed no protection against non-physical attacks. The two other types he knew could resist obscure mental attacks and lower forms of debuffs while the last worked best against elements. Sadly, the other high level rune networks were pretty much untouchable with his current Mastery level which would rise in due time for sure.r

The reinforcement runes he was currently able to use buffed mana, strength and endurance by an exact factor of 2.5 times and likewise could also be stacked only three times. r

At this point, Skullius felt like Ferex who relied on a similar system to strengthen his physical attributes.r

Funny.r

After inspecting the runes, Skullius drew the Bashful Abomination.r

“Ah, dear Master! Are you ready to imprint your own affix?!” the sword shouted enthusiastically.r

“Not yet. You’re pretty desperate for that, aren’t you?”r

“Desperate is a strong word, dear Master. I prefer a classier way of depicting my emotions. Like begging or grovelling. That sounds about right. Hmph. I may be made of steel but I’m sensitive,” the sword said with a subdued voice leaking bits of bashfulness.r

“…Right. Anyway I just wanted to test something out. I get the uses of the [Ghost Rending Divine Sword Art] and [Unmatched Sword Sense] but I want to see what I can do with [Swordmaster’s Quiescence],” Skullius said as he removed the cloth around the zhanmadao, revealing its deadly silver chipped blade that was longer than he was tall.r

For some reason, Hobbu Bobbu’s memories were a bit fuzzy on the use of this skill. Was there some big secret that even [Immoral Authority] couldn’t glean?r

“Oh! Oh! Do it! Do it!” the Bashful Abomination cried excitedly, urging Skullius despite not knowing what he was talking about.r

Skullius laughed and shook his head while feeling a pair of imaginary eyes trying to burn through his skull from Demion’s Dance at his waist.r

This wasn’t the time indulge the jealous sword.r

With a drawn out breath, Skullius activated [Swordmaster’s Quiescence] and…r

His body relaxed.r

The state he entered was unnatural, foreign even.r

Skullius couldn’t see without [Graceless Hunter] but in this moment, he experienced a sensation through his four sensory abilities that gave the illusion that he was not standing on the ground but was floating way up in an unfamiliar, rippling space but without the usual burden of complex thought, worry, anxiety, fear or even heavy judgement.r

He felt his figure streak up through a massive, thick yet soft blanket while he held the Bashful Abomination, the relaxation he felt utterly dominating his mind.r

Skullius couldn’t put together his own thoughts but shockingly, several bundles of ideas and images were fed into his mind.r

Before he knew it, mystical sentences started to flow out of his mouth involuntarily.r

“The cold blade fashioned in steel, the searing orange piece yet to be carved clean and sharp by the judgement of blunt force…”r

“The wind slain under the whispering sharp edge, the seamless trail where the blade descends…”r

“The scream of doom on contact, the shivering slide and tight grip only won over by doubtless determination…”r

As Skullius muttered, his body moved on its own and gripped the Bashful Abomination firmly in both hands within the strange space.r

The Hybrid Luman held up the sword, his left hand leaving the hilt to slide up past the cross guard to affectionately caress the blunt side of the blade.r

He intended to swing.r

To swing hard.r

To swing sharp.r

But…r

Skullius’ <CURSED HEART> beat fast.r

Then it beat faster.r

When it began beating at its fastest rate, a sudden tremor rushed through his flesh and bone with a treacherous shuddering vibration that shattered the illusion around him!r

“Huh?”r

Skullius blinked.r

The sensation he had been lost in just now vanished. He was holding the Bashful Abomination up but had suddenly stopped.r

[‘Ghost Rending Divine Sword Art’ has levelled up!]r

[‘Unmatched Sword Sense’ has levelled up!]r

pαndα`noνɐ1~сoМ

[‘Elite Sword Play’ has levelled up!]r

“What the hell…?!” Skullius exclaimed.r

Every sword-related skill of his, except [Swindling Death’s Dance, had levelled up… just by him using [Swordmaster’s Quiescence] once?!r

He didn’t even use it for the full duration… seemingly.r

Seriously, what the hell?!r

“Dear Master, are you alright? I’m sorry. I had to pull you out from that trance before you sank in too deep,” the Bashful Abomination said apologetically.r

Skullius held the sword down, more than a little puzzled.r

“Wait, you’re the one who stopped the skill? Was that violent feeling at the end your doing?” he asked.r

“…Y…yes but please don’t be offended, dear master. It’s just that… this is how I remember Hobbu Bobbu losing all interest in everything except swordsmanship. He kept drawing himself into this illusion until… until he was addicted to that feeling. I’m bound to you so I can tell what it’s like. I’m sorry I overstepped,” the sword explained.r

Skullius was silent for a while.r

An illusion, huh? A trance.r

That was a pretty effective one.r

“Is using it once enough to make you… addicted?” Skullius asked the anxious sword.r

“No but… with the way things were going, if you used me as you were about to, I feared you might destroy this home of yours with the way you were standing. You’d be fascinated by such power first then…get drunk with it.”r

“Destroy this… Oh, I see,” Skullius said while scratching his head.r

Destroying Fortune in a single swing of his sword? Was that what the sword was implying?r

That sounded absurd but strangely, he believed it. While in that state… perhaps he could, especially with a Pseudo-Mythical grade sword.r

After giving it a bit of thought, Skullius re-checked the description of [Swordmaster’s Quiescence] which didn’t quite expose what the skill did as well as the experience.r

~~~r

[Swordmaster’s Quiescence (Special) | Lv.31]r

A sword master, after reaching a certain calibre can enter a state of flow, peace and immersion within their mastered craft. This state is only a once in a lifetime opportunity for most practitioners but for a true sword master, it is an ability used through simple choice.r

Mana Requirements: 20,000 (I) Mana, 1500 (I) every minute.r

Duration: 10 minutesr

Cooldown: 20 hours r

~~~r

This description didn’t do justice at all to the skill but then again, Skullius had seen several skills he had which had this style of description – barely enlightening.r

Was the guidance field unable to fully glean through the secrets of the skill or was it influenced to not give full details? Depending on how one looked at it, these were two different things.r

Whichever it was didn’t matter though, because this skill was actually incredible!r

Skullius paced his attention back to his zhanmadao.r

“You didn’t overstep. I appreciate you stopping me. There are many things I don’t know yet and this is definitely something I should remain wary of,” he said, putting his sword at ease.r

The Bashful Abomination was exceptionally exhilarated to hear this!r

“I’m glad I can be of use, dear master,” it said before directing a burst of condescension at Demion’s Dance. “Let’s see you do anything useful, fancy hilt!”r

The green bladed sword hummed in rage.r

Skullius chuckled.r

Who knew it could be this lively without any humans around?r

His mood had been soured a bit by how powerful and dangerous dangerous the abilities he acquired from Hobbu Bobbu could be, so the Hybrid Luman decided to put off testing out the remainder of the spoils from that Cluster – the cauldron, its herbs and Hobbu Gogo’s other skills – to explore another new skill he had earned.r

The mysterious [Celestial Hack].r

Skullius sat down, feeling that this unevolving skill might have quite the kick upon activation and used it.r

~~~r

[Celestial Hack | Lv. None]r

With the Omniscient Thought Cracker as a prerequisite, send your awareness beyond the folds of worlds, of certain Rules and ethereal barriers to visit spaces within the SAME TIME junction, provided a sturdy image as a reference.r

Mana Requirements: None.r

Duration: 2 minutesr

Cooldown: 10 daysr

~~~r

Just to test out what it was capable of, Skullius imagined something he thought to be simple and more vivid to him. The specific image he conjured would not only test the maximum extent of the ability but would be helpful in allowing him to check the status quo related to a particular group at the same time…. if [Celestial Hack] actually worked that was.r

“Here goes,” Skullius said, putting the image in his head, more specifically within the [Omniscient Thought Cracker] and calling on the might of [Celestial Hack].r

In that instant and the several that followed, Skullius found himself stumped, emotional and lost for words with what he saw…r