The Glorious Evolution

”Interesting... the abilities might be somewhat simple in design, but you have unlocked an additional Aspect from them... Aethermancy Aspect, and that’s what truly matters.” The Titan shared his pool of knowledge, which was slowly filling up.

”Aethermancy? Sounds promising.” Levi nodded with a satisfied smile as he absorbed the abilities’ details in his mind.

He understood that Ash’Kral’s perfect innate abilities were considered the sole fastest bridges to unlocking Aspects... Levi’s first four abilities were all related to the sound Aspect... even Death Chime Field was nothing but high-pitched frequencies used aggressively.

If he had unlocked a single Melody-based ability, like a song or something... he would have gained access to Melody Aspect, which would have made it easier for him to learn its related techniques... the same went for Vibration Aspect.

The easiest way to explain this was to imagine a Tree... At the top, there might be The Law of Resonance.

Now, anything related to this Law... from abilities, techniques, to aspects... they would split up: Aspects as branches, innate abilities as the roots connected to them, and techniques as the leaves.

Now that Levi had unlocked Aetheric Grasp, it was the same as lighting up the root leading to the branch of Aethermancy Aspect... If Levi invested his time in this Aspect, he would be led across hundreds of leaves or more, lighting them up one by one.

Simultaneously, if he wanted, he could invest in the Sunflame or Darkness Aspects and all of their related techniques... though, his resonance access was at 0% for their Ancestral Trees, so the option wasn’t available for now.

The goal wasn’t to illuminate the entire tree, but to reach the top at any cost, even if it meant illuminating a single path to it, giving up on everything else.

Hence, the reason why Ash’Kral had advised Levi to focus on a single stance, instead of greedily tapping into every single sense and its related aspects.

That’s because the Nine Senses could be considered as nine separate Law Trees under one Origin Seed!

Yet, Levi still refused to choose a single stance, wanting to learn and master them all... he wasn’t greedy for power purely, his greed was knowledge motivated too.

After awakening the Spiritual Perception, Levi swiftly changed his location to his Spiritual Leywell... then, he summoned his violin and threw it in the air.

Just as it was about to land on the still lake, Levi gestured with two fingers... the violin froze a mere meter above the surface.

With a pleased smile, Levi started moving the violin around the place, using nothing but his fingers and spiritual energy.

While it appeared like he was using telekinesis or magic... in reality, it was a bit more complex than that.

”Aethermancy... the mystical practice of manipulating the unseen essence that separates the physical and the spiritual.” Ash’Kral smiled, ”This Aspect is considered an intermediate grade, a grade higher than Telekinesis.”

”Well, it kinda feels just like telekinesis, but given a fancier name,” Levi replied while bringing the violin closer and making it hover slightly further than his shoulder.

This helped him position his arms in a perfect violin stance, without needing the violin to be held by his head and shoulder.

”You see the green tether between you and the violin?” Ash’Kral said.

”Yes.”

Levi nodded, noticing that his violin was covered in a green-like container, which was connected through a string linked to his two fingers.

”That is Aether... the invisible energy I mentioned.” Ash’Kral continued while moving on top of the violin’s fingerboard, ”Telekinesis uses Will, which is fueled by spiritual energy to move objects and such, it has one-dimensional utility... on the other hand, you are using your will, fueled by spiritual energy to control the Aether itself, making it three-dimensional.”

”Aetheric Grasp is nothing but a single ability that allows you to mimic Telekinesis... In reality, you can do much more with Aether energy.” Ash’Kral grinned, ”Do you want to limit-test your spiritual energy with something fun?”

Seeing his grin, Levi knew that some foolery was involved... but he took the bait anyway, his curiosity leading him as always.

***

Sometime later... An hour before dawn.

Levi was seen standing in front of a corrupted mountain god knows where... Vyra was munching on some snacks beside him, purring in delight.

He wasn’t alone... all of his teammates had decided to tag along after finding out that he was going out to test his new abilities.

He asked Nurah for a favor, wanting the coordinates of a Midnight Dominion nest ruled by a Tier 3 nightcrawler... who hadn’t chosen to join the CRS Platform.

She told him the information on the condition that she tagged along... but Levi ended up telling everyone in the group to join him on an outing to test out their new evolutions and abilities.

While this seemed to annoy Nurah for some reason, Levi realized that as the captain of Heliodor’s Raiders, he needed to shift his ways of thinking a bit to involve his teammates in most of his actions in real life.

Plus, he truly wanted to see Jasmine’s powers and the others in action.

When he was using those hours to create some new Aethermancy techniques under Ash’Kral’s teachings, the others had enough to push for their evolutions, becoming Pathfinder Daywalkers.

Right now, besides Jasmine, who was a Warden, and Levi, who was still at second-stage Junior rank, the rest were all Pathfinders at varying stages... Shia was the highest, already at the evolution stage.

”Who’s going first?”

Arthur asked with a faint grin as he summoned his shield, which now had three gemstones embedded on it.

Black, Vermillion, and the newest addition... a Pink gemstone!

His shield wasn’t the only one with new additions... Orryn’s gemstone had integrated with his body, forming crystalline veins along his limbs and chest.

These veins hardened his bones and muscles, allowing him to withstand much greater impact and absorb major forces directly through his body. Cosmetically, the bottom of his dark ponytail changed to a vermillion hue.

Although the mutation was more or less similar to the first one, Arthur and Khu’zan were pleased... they knew that Arthur’s power limitation depended on his physical strength and how much he could endure the gemheart’s force. Whether absorbing it or releasing it.

”Isn’t it obvious? The captain.” Jojo replied calmly.

But soon, her eyelids twitched after noticing everyone looking away while stifling their laughter each time they looked at her.

Alas, Arthur wasn’t as subtle.

”Baldy... I have to ask? Does your mutation give you powers to talk to goats?”

He asked with a wide grin as he gazed at the tiny horn emerging in the center of Jojo’s forehead.

The horn was pure white with faint runic writings on it, looking quite holy and solemn... However, it was still a horn.

With her already being bald, not even the most serious person could hold it in at her new ’cute’ appearance.

Jojo heard what he said and murmured something under her breath.

”Huh? Speak louder.”

Jojo continued whispering until Arthur couldn’t hold it anymore and leaned his ear next to her mouth, repeating with a smug smile, ”What, too ashamed to sp... Ahhhh!!!”

Alas, before he could finish, Jojo headbutted the side of his temple with her sharp horn, piercing a layer of his skin.

”Happy with your answer?”

Jojo looked at him, holding his bleeding temple with a shocked expression, not expecting her to headbutt him like an actual goat.

Meanwhile, the others swallowed their laughter immediately as they watched her clean the tip of her horn from his blood... using her holy monk-like robe.

Once a menace, always a menace.

”Cough... Arthur, it’s not the time for any of this.”

Levi swiftly took control of the situation after noticing Jasmine’s dazed expression. He was worried that they would scare her off with their antics on her first day with them.

Yet instead... Jasmine ended up showing an amused smile, already informed about the two’s dynamic by Shia and Nurah.

In fact, they told her a bet was already in place if they were going to get together by the end of the year or kill each other.

”You’re lucky Levi got in the way.” Arthur showed her the middle finger while leaving his wound to heal up on its own... the hole might be small, but it closed in less than three seconds at a noticeable speed!

A perk of his double physical enhancement mutation.

Knowing that it was best to split them up for now, Levi said while signing with his hand, ”Arthur, Nurah, Jasmine... this nest is for you.”

All three nodded in approval.

”The rest of us will pick another nest after you finish.”

Hearing this, everyone’s eyes gleamed for a split second besides Levi and Jasmine... just like they could read each other’s minds, they simultaneously suggested.

”The slowest team pays for breakfast!”

Then, Nurah, Arthur, and Jasmine sprinted in the direction of the mountain... Jasmine didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t seem to mind it.

She kept smiling, happy to be involved with people who didn’t seem to care about her origins, inability to talk, or her weird, silent persona.

’I should help them win the bet.’