Ch.18: Attributeless Aura
--<3rd PoV>--
Ray advanced through the towering gateway of the B-rank Gate named as Silver Fang's Hide, the guttural roar—a primal echo from his last foray—urging him toward the central chamber where the Boss awaited.
The cavern's shadowed walls loomed, jagged crystals glinting faintly under torchlight, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and moss.
As his boots echoed on the uneven floor, Ray's mind sifted through the guild's briefing on the Silver-Furred Werewolf, a beast as cunning as it was ferocious.
The Silver Fang's Gate, rated lower B-rank, housed a Boss monster which was famed for standing 7 feet tall in its werewolf form, stretching to 8 feet in its Silver Hide Wolf guise.
It shifted forms with fluid ease, wielding sonic attacks brethren from its maw, mana-enhanced strength, a transparency cloaking it until touched, a battle spirit radiating concussive strength that could shatter stone.
Whispers claimed it thrived under a full moon's aura, but Ray brushed off the notion with a wry smile. "No moonlit silver drama tonight," he murmured, then chuckled, "Or is it?" The jest lightened his steps as he crossed into the chamber.
The vast space was desolate, its emptiness a silent taunt. With no sign of any being's existance.
"How cliché," Ray muttered, his voice steady as he summoned his martial soul Lord of Domains.
The black cube shimmered, morphing into a sleek Back Tang Sword, its silver-blue lines pulsing with mana. He activated Noble Circle at its tightest range, a golden aura enveloping inches from his skin—a refined technique to conserve energy.
The domain honed his senses, silencing stray thoughts, his mind now a sharpened blade, clear and unerring.
His Instinct sparked, a visceral nudge to duck. Ray thrust his blade forward, slicing from between his left arm and chest.
The blade struck something unseen—a ripple in the werewolf—its silver fur gleaming, eyes blazing like burning embers.
Ray's grin faltered. "Too damn tough!" he growled, tugging at the blade. The beast's hide, hard as forged steel, trapped the blade's edge, unyielding.
But that was not the end, what followed was the beast retaliating, sending out an attack of his own, one which ray had no spot to hide from.
ROAR!
An energy wave erupted followed by the angry roar of the monster, a concussive blast hurling Ray backward.
Ray abandoned the sword struck in the monster's flesh, Polymorph reshaping it into a dagger as he rolled aside, dodging a sonic *ROAR!* that shattered stalactites, debris raining down.
He skidded across the cavern floor, pain flaring in his ribs, the dagger freed from his grip, still struck in the monster's hide. The werewolf lunged, using his long arms to swipe his claws slashing, its transparency flickered.
Resummoning his Martial Soul as a longsword, he landed a clean slash, but the hide barely scratched, mocking his effort.
Afterall with his strong physical strength, recovery and adaptable weapon it was still to much to face a B rank Boss monster head on.
The fight became a grueling back-and-forth.
The werewolf shifted into its Silver Hide Wolf form, gaining agility and bite force, its jaws snapping inches from Ray's arm. Super Intuition guided hair's-breadth dodges—evading claws, sonic blasts, and mana-charged bites, his stamina remained full each one caused a new injury to appear.
His mana flickered, Super Recovery mending small bruises and injuries he obtained in matter of minutes and fatigue was almost non existent.
Though caution was still needed.
Sweat stung his eyes, muscles aching as he parried a claw swipe, the impact jarring his bones.
"Fuck!" Ray cursed, feeling the impact in his bones.
"Thankfully, my Martial Soul's as versatile as it is proving useful" Ray exhaled, morphing his longsword into a spear to jab the wolf's flank, then a mace to bludgeon its leg, each hit chipping the hide.
As the battle started to shift in his favor, the monster started creating distance, even dodging and being passive, not attacking at all.
And as if realizing this much time was enough, it made a large leap in the direction opposite to Ray.
The werewolf vanished again, its transparency cloaking it.
"Damn this annoying ability!" Ray roared as he started circulating Mysterious Heaven skill in attempt to recover his mana. As if thinking at least the time the monster is buying will be mutually useful to him as well.
At the same time his eyes enhanced by increased focus brought by Noble Circle caught a faint ripple, and Ray swung a Polymorph-shifted axe, grazing its shoulder.
Slish!
A clean slash backed by weight of the weapon which cut the outer hide of the werewolf showcasing his his muscles and smearing blood an the ground.
"No you won't be able to become transparent anymore."
Ray smiled finally getting one good hit in.
ROAR!
The angry beast screamed, retaliating with an energy wave, at the close distance, which got a direct hit on Ray similar to the first one but this time in much cleaner, slamming him into a wall, blood trickling from a forearm gash.
That much opening was enough for the beast, because even with all the strong points and advantages going on for him, Ray was still lacking both in and in technique.
Struggling to rise, his resolve hardened. The werewolf charged disregarding its own injuries straight at his opponent, it's jaws wide, and clamped onto Ray's left hand, fangs sinking deep.
Spchlk!
The sound of breaking bone echoed, pain searing, blood dripping, but Ray's eyes gleamed with defiance. "Gotcha," he hissed, a fierce smile breaking through.
Ignoring the trapped hand, Ray morphed his weapon into a broadsword, thrusting at the beast's chest.
CHUNK!
The blade halted, stopped by iron-like muscle.
"Not you again. Not this time!"
Undeterred, he transformed it into a chainsaw, its mana-infused teeth roaring to life.
BOOM-KRCH!
He sawed inward, cutting through his muscles, not meeting even more harder defense its bones.
But Ray did not stop infusing mana into the chainsaw, increasing its sharpness, he rotated its motor in an even stronger speed.
Stronger, Faster, Sharper!
HOWL!!
Sparks started flying, it's bones grinding and the werewolf let out a bone-chilling scream, its jaws loosening in agony.
Ray wrenched his left hand free, disregarding it's half chewed appearance, he seized the beast's jaw with his strong grip to keep its fangs at bay.
"AAAARRGGHH!"
Two roars clashed—Ray's adrenaline-fueled and the monster's pained cry.
Ray growled, pouring mana into the chainsaw, its teeth grinding deeper. The Mysterious Heaven Skill surged even stronger, its gentle flow became more and more fast accelerating energy recovery.
Mana spun faster in his body, pulling ambient mana into a vortex, a suction force appeared growing stronger and stronger exponentially with each passing second.
Its force could even be felt by Seraphina and Lilia watching from the forest's edge, their silhouettes tense with anticipation.
Amidst the one going struggle between Ray and the Boss monster, some drastic changes started appearing inside Ray's body.
Among the seven inactive cores aligned along Ray's spine, the lowest—near his lower abdomen—ignited with a click, flooding with the gentle and nourishing attributeless mana of Mysterious Heaven Skill.
In that instant all the mana in the surrounding got absorbed in the core as if a black hole had appeared sucking in all the available mana in the surrounding, even the entire mana system of the gate was being affected.
As the mana particles started colliding with each other it started changing states, going from gas like to denser gas then to liquid, from softer form to more one with high viscosity honey or glue.
The mana solidified fully transforming into aura.
Right that instant his aura awakened, a colorless to faint blue, shimmering haze cloaking him, pure and potent.
Unconsciously, he infused it into the chainsaw, its teeth glowing with hundredfold potency.
The blade, once struggling, sliced through the werewolf's bones, cleaved it entire body in half in a single, cinematic stroke.
Fssshk—shnk!
Silver fur and blood sprayed, the beast's halves collapsing with a thunderous crash.
Boom!
Exhaustion crashed over Ray like a tidal wave, and he collapsed to his knees, his left hand throbbing, blood dripping.
With a single thought, Super Recovery kicked in, knitting flesh, easing pain, recovering his body to the prime condition.
His body fell on the ground, laying with his hands spread out, not in exhaustion by in relief.
He gasped, chest heaving, then laughed—a raw, triumphant sound. "Hah, Hehe... hahaha! That was fun!"
His jade-green eyes shimmered brighter, glowing with satisfaction, the thrill of victory coursing through him. He'd faced a B-rank Boss monster, a monster which is said to be equivalent to intermediate rank or even unskilled advanced rank aura experts in strength.
But he just fought it, he bled, struggled, fell down, stood up again and emerged stronger, his aura was the blazing testament to his growth.
From the forest's edge, Seraphina's silhouette nodded, her approval a silent tribute to his triumph. Lilia's burst into tears releasing her breath she was unconsciously holding on exhaling in relief.
The elemental magic flared in the distance, a protective beacon in the gate's eerie silence. Ray rose, his chainsaw reverting to a black cube, his voice echoing with pride.
"Let's do that again someday."
...
In world hidden from the ordinary, in the magic city of Livera, the Mage Tower soared, a breathtaking spire of obsidian and sapphire crystal that defied mortal craft.
Its rune-etched facets shimmered, reflecting sunlight in a dance of azure and violet, while translucent mana bridges linked turrets in gravity-defying arcs.
Glowing flora ringed its base, their whispers hinting at cosmic secrets, the tower's grandeur a monument to arcane mastery.
Within a marble hall, chandeliers of floating orbs cast soft light on the Mage Tower's elders, gathered around a constellation-carved round table.
Robes of crimson, emerald, and gold rustled as they leaned forward, the air humming with mana. Mr. Colin, wiry and sharp-eyed, stood nervously, presenting Ray Virelios' mana sensitivity potion—a glowing vial that sparked lively chatter.
"Remarkable stuff," an elder chuckled, twirling his beard. "Amplifies mana perception fivefold! Imagine novices sensing currents like grand mages."
A woman in violet robes nodded, cradling the vial. "It'll shake up the herb markets—completely changing the continent's way of looking at potions!" Laughter rippled, most elders buzzing with intrigue, envisioning the potion's boost to the Tower's prestige.
"Training times could halve," another mused, eyes gleaming. "Knights, mages, even alchemists—this changes everything."
"Hahaha, imagine out apprentices taking a potion to craft even more potions." A sudden statement caused multiple laughing sounds to fill the meeting hall.
"Virelios is awesome, to think he would make something like this."
Yet, some faces soured. "Pity Ray's no mage anymore," a gaunt elder sighed, shaking his head.
"Broken mana circuits—such a waste." Murmurs agreed, unaware Ray's circuits were healed.
"He'd have been a fine apprentice," purred a mature woman, her voice a sultry caress. Her golden hair cascaded like sunlight, emerald robes hugging a curvaceous figure—voluptuous bust, rounded hips—that turned heads. Her sapphire eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Those jade-green eyes, sharp godly face… I'd have mentored him personally." A few elders chuckled, others rolled their eyes at her brazen charm.
Ray Virelios, the potion's creator, was a figure of near-mythic allure. His platinum blonde hair framed a face of flawless symmetry, high cheekbones, and piercing green eyes that burned with ambition.
His lean, muscular frame, sculpted by combat, radiated charisma—if models his past-life scored 40, Ray was a breathtaking 90, his presence stirring even the Tower's stoic mages.
And that was understandable, after all—he was a person born with the genes of two rare demi human races, both renowned for their exceptional looks: the Kijin and the Dryads.
"Handsome and brilliant, coupled with his talent for innovations, I am sure he would have made it big if we had found him sooner." a younger elder muttered. "If grown properly he would shaken things up."
Talk shifted to a letter, Mr. Colin fidgeting as elders bantered. Unsure if it is right for him to speak between the meeting of giants.
"Must we inform the Tower Master?" a gruff voice asked, scratching his chin.
"No need," another scoffed, waving a hand.
"He's knee-deep in rune studies, hasn't slept in days. This potion will drag him into another sleepless frenzy." Giggles broke out, the elders' obsession with discovery a shared jest.
"Truth-seekers, we are," one quipped, "but even we need sleep—unlike him!"
Then one of them opened a letter ray had send a sometime ago, weeks after his talk with Mr. colin, sharing his views on his potion and co-operation ideas.
Ray's letter outlined his terms: exclusive potion selling rights, with negotiable profit splits, for access to the Tower's knowledge, to be discussed in Valderia City a week before the Academy's entrance exam.
"He's bold," an elder grinned, sipping magic herb-infused tea. "We'd give 80% profits, but if he wants scrolls and tomes, that's cheaper!"
Nods followed—gold fueled their research, and Ray's deal was a steal. "He's aiming for Valderia Academy," another noted. "Smart lad, smart enough to be qualified to join the elite with only power of knowledge as a backer."
"What's he after in those dusty archives?" a younger elder wondered aloud, sparking shrugs.
"Probably new ideas to finds ways of recovering his mana circuits, given that's his only obsession," another guessed. "Or potion recipes to outdo this one!"
The room hummed with speculation, the potion's promise fueling their curiosity.
"So... Who should we send this time? It's an important deal it doesn't sit well to send someone who is less than grandmaster level." Said an elderly mage.
"Yeah, but we can't go. The elders of towers going out will attract too much attention."
As talks turned to negotiations, a young woman in her early twenties, her jet hair tied in a neat braid, rose hesitantly. Her sapphire robes marked her as a prodigy, too young for this council yet bold enough to speak. "I'll go to Valderia," she offered, her voice steady, eyes gleaming with sincerity. "Let me negotiate with Ray Virelios."
The elders paused, then nodded, her youth a spark of promise in their ancient circle, deeming her role as the Mage Tower's representative appropriate.
Afterall it was the second youngest person to become a 5th circle mage.
___________________________
To Be Continued:
[Word Count: 2388]
A/N: What? You thought the 7 Cores in his mana circuits were just for decoration? Then you are yet to be surprised.