Psychic Parasite

Chapter 101: Relic
”If we want to conclude it arbitrarily, Artifacts are just items made from Frenzy Beast Carcasses. Also, their composition differs from the minerals naturally found in nature. This gives rise to a myriad of Artifacts in all shapes and sizes.” Madam Rizenne changed the image on the screen, showcasing many items in red.

They ranged from a pin to a piece of slab. Madam Rizenne continued, taking a glance at the conditions of the students, ”There is a famous example when it comes to Artifacts. Thanks to getting approval from Psychic Ancestor Marble, we can go into depth about this topic.”

Her face brightened up, sporting a sense of worship, ”The Unranked Skill created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, Marble Sonata can be used to mass-produce Artifacts. Depending on the Tier of the Esper wielding the Skill, the Tier of the Artifact they create varies. At Tier 1, they are red in colour.”

Looking at the bouts of shock and exclaim echoing among the crowd, Madam Rizenne smiled, having expected the reaction. After all, the information about the Unranked Skills was strictly controlled. To the students, even getting the chance to hear about the names of the Unranked Skills would have been wonderful, not to mention the Unranked Skill created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, one of their pillars.

The image behind her flashed to reveal an isometric view of their city, showcasing a bird’s eye view from the 7th Ring till the 10th Ring. ”The best example is the walls that surround our city. They have been created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, using the Unranked Skill nurtured to Tier 6 level. The walls that span around us, enclosing each Sector and covering every Ring; they also cover our ground surface, forming the anchors and base for all the Strata. Basically, except for the buildings, the entirety of our city is a ginormous Tier 6 Artifact.”

”They are the reason for the name of our city, Marble City.” Madam Rizenne said, her tone zealous. Psychic Ancestor Marble was the epitome of hope for all Espers; the greater their strength, the more they understood his significance.

The image behind her flashed, showcasing a spinal cord, ”After the Induction Ceremony, the Wisdom Parasite fuses with either our brain or our spinal cord. Now, let us consider the case of Warriors. This is the spinal cord of a warrior, retrieved after his death.”

The students flashed looks of pity, disgust, curiosity, etc. showcasing a myriad of emotions. Madam Rizenne noted them all, thanks to her being an Esper, ”Now, there are times where the spinal cords of Warriors are left intact after death—while in a mission. We safeguard it immediately; after all, the Wisdom Parasite in it is still alive. As time passes, it eventually dies. At the end of the day, it too is a living being and needs nutrients for sustenance. The higher the Tier of the Wisdom Parasite, the longer it can survive on its own.”

She then changed the image to a box, ”We process it into an item that can be used. For example, a Developer has three Skills. After his death, and should his spine remain intact, his Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills merge into his Tier 3 Skill, mutating it. After we process it through our methods, we end up with an item that can be used to invoke the mutated Tier 3 Skill. This is what we call a Relic.”

”Having a Relic in your hand is equivalent to possessing an extra Skill.” Madam Rizenne waved her left hand, making a cube appear above her palm, its edges spanning 10 centimetres.

The cube looked no different from a tin can, reddish-grey in colour, emitting a dull lustre. ”This is a Tier 3 Relic, named Cold Flare. Since this is the only one of its kind, we have given it a name. Most of the Relics are just designated a number, irrespective of its strength.”

Madam Rizenne infused her psychic energy into the cube, whirring it into life. In the next second, a gentle wave emerged from the cube, spreading towards all corners of the auditorium.

Immediately, the students felt a biting cold seep into their bodies, spreading the chill through their nerves. The sensation disappeared in an instant as Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic energy, ”The advantage of a Relic is the fact that anyone can use it, whether they are a Warrior or an Esper.”

”But,” She emphasised her point, ”The energy it consumes is almost thrice the energy consumed to actuate a Skill of the same Tier. Moreover, irrespective of the person who uses it, the power it can display has a limit, designated by its Tier.”

”For example, consider this Tier 3 Relic, Cold Flare. Even though the one who activated it is a Sky Controller, the maximum power it displayed is of tier 3 level. Though, I controlled the energy infused into it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have just felt a chill enter your body.” Madam Rizenne closed her palm. The Relic had disappeared from her hands at some point in time.

”If used well, Relics can be an advantage to you.” She concluded, ”The one I showed you is a Mould Relic. Mould Relics are the ones created from the spine of a Warrior; the case being the brain for an Esper.”

”There are two other Relics: Refined Relic, and an Extracted Relic.” Madam Rizenne changed the picture displayed behind her, showcasing the image of a Quill and a Rod.

”Refined Relics are created when a Warrior or an Esper consumes a Cleansement Fruit. I will talk about the Cleansement Fruit in another class. As a result of consuming the Cleansement Fruit, a Quill is produced from Espers while a Rod is produced from Warriors.” She then explained the methods to discern the Tier of the Refined Relics.

The Refined Relic produced from an Esper was shaped into a Quill. Its feathers were segmented, the number of segments discerning the Tier of the Esper before he consumed a Cleansement Fruit. The Quill produced from a Wave Controller had 2 segments in its feathers.

It was due to the powers of the Wave Controller split into three parts, with the Esper retaining one part while the other two forming into the Quill. The Quill in such a case retained two psychic arms.

The Rod, on the other hand, only retained the Skills of the Warrior. If a Developer were to consume a Cleansement Fruit, he would lose all his three Skills. They would then fuse into a single Tier 3 Skill—warped in nature.

”Extracted Relics were created only six years ago. It was thanks to an individual, the Hero of the Flying Throne Raid, and the current head of the Bone Family, Jyovic Bone.” Madam Rizenne pointed at Jyorta, ”I presume you are his grandson?”

”Yes, ma’am.” Jyorta stood up, nodding in confirmation. His back was filled with sweat, receiving the stares from everyone, filled with indescribable emotions. He thanked in relief when Madam Rizenne motioned for him to sit.

”Extracted Relics are formed from extracting the Unranked Skill from the corpse of a human. Even though it has major limitations and has stringent requirements, Extracted Relics are the most preferred among Relics. The process of production for each Relic is a military secret. If you join the relevant organisation in the future, you would naturally become privy about them.” She said.

Just when she was about to proceed to the next topic, the sounds of clanging bells resounded through the auditorium. It was then accompanied by a melodious tune that sought to raise their fighting spirit. It was the same as the day before when Jyorta and Laila broke records but on a higher scale.

”Okay, it seems another Cadet has broken the academy records. We will conclude our class after this topic. Anyway, the Ranking Board will function differently today. It will stay there till noon and not shortly disappear after 10:30 AM.” Madam Rizenne pressed a remote, displaying the City walls once again.

”We generally combine Relics with Artifacts, amplifying their advantages. After all, Artifacts are rigid materials while Relics are fragile items with mystical effects. The best example is our city wall. It is a Tier 6 Artifact and a Tier 5 Relic.” She smiled.

”The Tier 5 Relic fused into our city walls is a product of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. Even I am not privy of its actual details. Probably only the other two Ancestors are knowledgeable about it.” Madam Rizenne switched off the screen behind her, ”We will conclude today’s class here.”

Before the students stood up, Madam Rizenne said, ”Assemble before the Yellow Building by 2:30 PM. You will be undergoing battle training after you have selected your weapon. Remember, the weapon you pick will decide the fate of your life. Head to the White Building and refer the various weapons in the Portal. You have 4 hours to pick your choice. Class dismissed.”