Now that Silver worn being the only one available I treat it like my main body. Sure it consumes essence but with 3 lines of thought I can easily make one circulate essence constantly.
I start focusing on a monocle I left forgotten. An enchanted monocle that's meant to see essence and souls, something that should be able to uncover the mysteries of the nightmare spell and memories. Its engravements are very small but intricate, each 5th of a centimeter taking months of time, by the sheer amount of runic engravings I had to add. But now I finally add the finishing engravement and install 3 awakened shards to fully maximize its power.
I put on the monocle and pour a slight amount of essence into it. As my vision changes I look at torso, seeing the constant circulation of essence, but with no soul? I look at my original body sleeping seeing that its not circulating essence but has 2 anchors of essence? 'soul cores' I look down again but I still don't see anything but a small connection ethereal, to the lower core? "I guess that is my monster core.." but I realize I'm getting side tracked and summon a memory, viewing the true nature of memories for the first time…
What I saw confused me deeply, not hidden runes, but circuits? Would that be the correct term? He summoned the memories one by one, realizing the similarities but the extreme uniqueness in each.
"the circuits repeat here and here… right?" I scan thoroughly between the tool and weapon memories, both dormant tier. What's confusing is that there's a slight alteration between them, confusing him deeply. Than he realized that the alterations are meant to differentiate the types of equipment they are!
He smirked and started pulling out all the different types of memories. Tools, masks, weapons, shields, armor even garments. He studied the minute differences and the extreme similarities of tools, with that he was able to deeply understand what is going on within every memory.
"so, runic sorcery is that of programming while the spells sorcery is that of circuit boards?" this new ramification on sorcery is very intriguing. "but what I don't understand is how is the essence thread like? There are no grooves?"
essence itself is a type of liquid, that's why it fissures out when outside the body, more like.. Mystifies out? So how can the spell make threads or wires of essence? He was very confused, until he learnt of a very specific attribute by one of the government awakened.
The attribute was threaded essence, a type of essence that works exactly the same but when outside the body, it becomes a thread. No one can see essence except for the very few, he only discovered his unique quality a while back, and even so no one batted an eye at the strange essence. Maybe he was one of the few with the capabilities of this unique sorcery? But he couldn't see essence? Maybe to awaken this very unique sorcery you need a lot of luck and leg work?
He slumped back, after all this work he still couldn't create a memory. Maybe… meeting with them?
***
"he's dead." the government agent said without batting an eye. "fuck!" I grab my face in disappointment. "what do you want him for anyway?" the agent inquired.
my eyes light up. "I'm doing research on memories, how they are made and produced. I just hit an extremely large breakthrough!" I pull out the monocle "this can see essence, not just essence outside but essence inside, Memories and souls included!" I say overly excitedly. "put it on!" he puts it on, enjoying the fresh pace, and has a surprised look on his face.
"what?" I ask, he than looks down at his torse and than back at mine, fear sprouting his expression. "you.. Don't have a soul?"
"oh" I slap my head "I forgot~ my aspect is cloning, and I got into a real bad situation which tired me out so I'm making my clone do the work~" his expression of worry subsided with only a hint of suspicion remaining. "anyways~" I summon a tool memory. "look at this using the monocle~"
He checks the monocle only to see the intricate web of essence threads. "what am I looking at?"
"these are essence wires or threads, but depending on orientation they create enchantments~" than I realise my main purpose and snatch the monocle back. "sorry, my research isn't done yet and since the guy is.. Dead, I won't be coming back. Thank you for your time sir!" I turn around and start walking.
"wait!" I stop and turn back with a polite smile. "we have been doing research on essence in and of itself, with some people having unique attributes to their essence. So we found a handful of people." he states. "one of them have the same attribute as your original guy."
My polite smile brightens to a wide grin. "thank you so much! When can I meet them?!" he smiles back. "her name is Lucy, she is currently out on a scouting mission, which will take several months." he said disappointedly
"can I join the mission? With my abilities and set of memories I can be of great help~" I ask. "aren't you a legacy?" he asks. "nope I'm an independent! I promise I'm very capable~" he grins and takes me deeper into the government buildings. Most of the facilities of the government are still in the real world, but more and more are being taken to the dream realm. Currently 45% of the government has been fully relocated, and spread out to Raven Heart, Bastion and the Night Garden.
Though the buildings that occupy the government are subpar, they still are intricate, and modern compared to most of the Dream realm. "currently, there are extermination missions being handled all across the dream realm, the one Miss Lucy is in, is to kill off a corrupted terror, and we all know how dangerous that is for a mere awakened…" The agents expression darkened, and so did mine.
"if its an extermination mission, I might need more time for preparation, how about 2 weeks?" I need to kill off the the farms before going hunting again, otherwise it would be more problematic. "2 weeks is a short amount of time, so its doable, the crew already left so you'll be with another crew once they finish scouting, is that ok?"
"absolutely" they reached inside and they started explaining the heavy details of the extermination mission, "apparently, Ki Song the Supreme of Raven Heart is having trouble distributing power, there must be a great or maybe even a cursed terror approaching if not even the abundant amount of saints can arrive. The main issue is, the corrupted terror isn't a group monster, more like an single hunter. Its entire being is very contradictory to what we know about Terrors in general."
A few hours of thoroughly explaining what little information they have, my main body woke up and got to raging. It is very wild that one side is politely listening while the other is throwing around shit and jumping around like a ravaging monkey.
After that little outburst i locked in. his first job was to recreate the explosive arrow, but with runes rather than circuits, the next would be a scouting mission, he summoned Red scales and made him travel to his 3rd and final farm, its corrupted tyrant was a wolf, and all of its off-springs are corrupted demons, an entirely higher scale than any other before.
As Red scales set out, the main body summoned a chisel, while grabbing some corrupted carcass. His understanding of runic sorcery was extremely high which is surprising cause of his age, and his ability to discover and create intricate runic circles, a path of runic sorcery that he himself discovered has sky rocketed to the point of recreating enchants of memories.
Though he lacked the speed to mass produce them, only making 2 within a day and using materials equivalent to transcendent rank, the runic enchanted arrows limit would be extremely high, dwarfing the original ascended arrow by a considerable margin.
While the main body does that, silver worn finishes up his extensive talk and heads to circle back with Red scales, their current goal is to scout out the wolf-like creatures to see if his chances are high. Previously, the wolf always went around in packs of 5, but me hiding it, it grew considerably making the pack around 10 to 15, but guessing by how much months have passed they might be at least 20 to 30, maybe in the 40's if I'm fucked. As they reached the encampment of the beast they realized they got rimmed rather than railed, as only 36 corrupted demons and it being a corrupted tyrant.
"each corrupted gives 4 shard, demons have 3 cores, there are 36 of them.. 12 times 36… 432~" they decide to knock out 6 immediately, by Red scales donning the black tunic, and ripping apart one of them quickly and efficiently. Since equipping the black tunic, making you resemble the nightmare creatures in your area the numbers didn't change no demon bats an eye, only when 2 more drop they start getting suspicious. a few find the corpses of the fallen demon, confused on what got them. 'human' that's their initial response, after all, these intelligent creatures understand that they can't absorb monsters like they do.
But before they could signal, The 5 are blindsided by quick attack, lobbing of the heads and crushing the brains before they could think. Silver worn and Red scales quickly cut open, absorb the fragments and run away. "shit I forgot to empty my Bag!" the main body summons his memory of holding and quickly dumps every shard into the chest he has. Than Silver worn and Red scales dismantle a few bodies and leaves immediately.
They go back to home, disposing of the materials and sort out a plan to conquer the demons and their liege.
They plan to target the back entrance, using the explosive arrows at the front in the beginning before regrouping to the back and slaying the tyrant. After harvesting him, hoping he drops a memory, we leave and hunt them off one by one, slowly and steadily.
Now that 1 and a half days pass, his body is fully recovered from the extensive strain, honestly it feels even stronger. He goes outside and picks up a sword, even though he fights almost daily through his clones, the clones themselves only have 80% of his total power, which is amazing but not his full capability.
With that he started training. He has a basic technique, after all he mainly dual wields short swords, use a spear or a bow. But a sword is cool. That's it.
He swings it around. Using basic technique with precision, after all, using multiple weapon brings awareness to any weapon one wields, just not to the same degree. With each swing bringing tremendous strength, my body feeling lighter than before, switches to a more flowy version of the basics. If the previous version resembled sturdiness this version resembles flowing water. Each movement bringing speed, which brings force, making every movement stronger than the next. I reach a point where I can't build up speed, and start trying to focus on precision, I make my clones throw objects at me.
It's like fruit ninja but high speed.
A smile creeps up into my mouth as I feel being twice as fast and strong than an awakened, clawing my way to ascended masters level. My precision sharpens considerably as I enter a zone. Which is weird with multiple lines of thought, with the outside of that line of thought I know I'm in a trance but I also know that's only a 3rd of my thought. Its like.. Having split personalities? Or 3 minds, rather than 1 line of thought?
During this state me/my clones, or other bodies? join the battle. As they grab wooden spears and short blades. They dash in, and break the rhythm of the dance, but with my momentum I'm able to push them away. I build up speed again and attack the Red scales, as silver worn puts pressure on me. With shot range distance and long range distance even if I pull back Red scales would attack easier.
So I push forward. I use the gathered momentum to attack the neck but he blocks just in the nick of time which allows Red scales to thrust into me. But I use our bind to block the attack by pushing Silverworn's blade into the way of the spear. Before I can continue, I see that Tom has arrived with food.
"woah.." he looked astonished to see only a glimpse of my combat. "how did you.."
"precise essence control, flexibility and understanding of the weapon itself. Not like its sentient but like its weight, width, length, etc" I grab a towel and wipe of the sweat.
"well, I brought some food~ as a thanks for making me awakened~" he shakes the bag gently.
We sit inside and set up the tables. "so.. Is teaching me fighting still an option?" his eyes show that he wants to be good at essence control and mastery.
"I wish I could.. But I'm leaving in 2 weeks to hunt a corrupted terror. And during that time I intend to prepare." I say somberly, I really wanted to teach him.
"I understand.. After all your one of the most capable awakened in the city, and how did you make another clone?" he looks at me curiously. But I am the greatest explorer as well as survived a year as a sleeper by myself technically, my renown is relatively high, and my usefulness is also high, I made a lot of coins selling off my research of runic sorcery and memories as well as the soul. They also know how I can handle myself in a fight between corrupted beasts, I killed one by myself without the help of a clone a few months ago, that's how I got my transcendent spear.
My eyes light up. "I can technically show you how to fight~" I take him outside and give him a wooden sword. "coordination, balance, and speed are what make up the core principles of battle. Right now I want you to do basic vertical slashes and horizontal slashes for as long as you can. Until your confident in moving easily. If you want more, add essence to limbs then to specific muscles." he nods and starts swinging the sword excitedly,
"since I'm not going to be here, can you watch my place? I'll pay you 30 awakened Soul shards~" his eyes light up even more. Realising how good that deal is, he practices even harder.