Chapter 60: A Blade Tempered a Thousand Times
“Is this girl having another spat with herself?”
Looking at the blonde maiden’s retreating back as she dove into the meditation room again, Shaya couldn’t help but sigh. He considered himself quite good at understanding human hearts, yet Aerora had always been his nemesis. This stubborn, one-track, intuitive type was all about being elusive—unobservable and immeasurable. Thinking about her leads to mistakes, and speaking about her leads to errors. She was truly the bane of rationalists like Shaya. After all, rationalists needed clues and logical deductions to reach conclusions. Intuitive types, however, only needed “I think,” arriving at the answer first and then working backward to justify it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been caught so many times by Aerora in the act with Diris, and each time the angle of her discovery was unexpectedly tricky.
“Crimson, oh Crimson, your progress is truly immense. You’ve even stimulated Little Ai.”
“Mew!”
A small, crimson furball silently appeared mid-air before Shaya. It seemed to sense Shaya’s praise. Shaya perceived Crimson in its Star Spirit Body state, and the joy transmitted through their Soul Pact was palpable. Before forming the contract with Shaya, the little Silver Spirit never imagined its young Master could bring about such rapid improvement. And the biggest change among them was that the foul aura that had occupied its Star Spirit Body core, constantly corroding its soul’s origin and greatly suppressing its growth, was now contained.
Although that wisp of “Filthy Blood” had long since merged into the Star Spirit Body, becoming part of its origin and unable to be completely purged without severely damaging its Star Spirit Body as well, Shaya, as a master of illusions with extensive experience dealing with Evil God Pollutants, had even successfully hypnotized and suppressed Sylvia, who harbored a demigod of twilight. Facing mere residual twilight pollutants on Crimson, it was naturally no challenge.
Using “Tsukuyomi,” he easily put the Filthy Blood within the little Silver Spirit into a dormant state, no longer interfering with its growth. With this shackles, which had existed since its birth, removed—the little Silver Spirit’s growth rate could only be described as meteoric. Shaya’s gaze slowly swept over Crimson’s attribute panel.
【Race Name: Silver Spirit “Twilight Corrupted”】
【Category: Abyssal Species, Corrupted Species】
【Attributes: Metal, Dark, Sword】
【Stage: Growing Stage】
【Soul Pact Status: Third Soul Pact (Master-Servant Contract: Shaya Egut)】
【Combat Level: 33 (Tier 3)】
【Racial Level: High Monarch (Tier 4)】
【Familiar Skills: Filthy Blood (Perfect), Dark Scion (Perfect), Slash (Extraordinary), Bone of Swords (Perfect), Blood Burn (Perfect), Heart of the Overlord (Perfect)】
After over a month of special training and conditioning, Crimson’s attribute panel had undergone a monumental transformation. This was what “accumulating strength for a powerful release” meant. With Shaya having exhausted his remaining Rhine gold coins to purchase a massive amount of metal-elemental transcendent materials, and with an unreserved supply of resources, Crimson’s combat level broke through the Commander-level in just two months, reaching Tier 3. Its growth stage also advanced to the growing stage, keeping pace with Shining, Silver, and Shaya himself.
For an ordinary Familiar to suddenly gain such an opportunity and achieve a cross-tier advancement would typically lead to unaccustomed combat techniques and a decline in skill due to the inability to adapt to the sudden surge of power, turning it into a mere display of skill, an empty shell that looks good but is useless. However, Crimson was different. Those numerous, seemingly futile, self-deceiving sword swings performed in its weaker moments had endowed it with techniques and control over its power far exceeding that of other Familiars. Even with its current advancement to Tier 3, its control over its power had not diminished in the slightest; it still had reserves.
When it was weak, it transformed itself into a steel embryo. Then, through constant hammering, the impurities within were gradually removed. Through tempering a thousand times, the accumulated efforts, bit by bit, would eventually pay off. At this moment, they blossomed and bore fruit—forging a resilient blade that could not be broken.
Furthermore, Crimson’s Skill Proficiency had undergone a qualitative leap. After Shaya depleted the free experience pool, accumulated from several previous missions, to its last drop, every skill in Crimson’s skill bar was raised to the “Perfect” proficiency level. The various improvements brought about by increased skill proficiency were far more astonishing than they appeared. What was displayed during the training battle with Aerora previously was merely the tip of a very small iceberg. This method of nurturing, which was almost all-consuming, made Shining and Silver, who were watching, so envious they felt their minds separating. They knew they still had a whole host of useless skills that hadn’t been leveled up, remaining at awkward stages like “Proficient” and “Master.” Yet, Crimson, after less than two months since joining the team, had achieved the feat of all skills at “Perfect.” So, were childhood sweethearts destined to be defeated by those who arrived later?
However, Shining and Silver also understood that Shaya’s favoritism was not without reason. Crimson’s many skills would play a crucial role in the final act of the Ancient Azure Court’s Historical Echo.
“Crimson, it’s up to you this time.”
“Meow meow meow! (Leave it to me, Master!)” The fiery red Star Spirit furball wobbled. Shaya felt the resolute will transmitted through their Soul Pact. Although it had only joined the team not long ago, it had received an unimaginable level of attention and investment. Therefore, it absolutely could not fail its Master’s expectations.
Shaya stroked the red furball on his shoulder and was about to speak when his mental power suddenly stirred. Activating “Blink,” Shaya’s figure silently vanished, and he reappeared at the main entrance of the manor. Outside the manor, on the street of the Black Lily District, a man in general’s uniform with a steady face was walking slowly.
“Lieutenant Colonel Sieg, what brings you here?”
Sensing Shaya’s appearance, Lieutenant Colonel Sieg turned around. He strode towards Shaya, a smile appearing on his usually steady and resolute face.
“Haha.”
“Am I not here on behalf of the military to visit and congratulate the great hero who recently shattered the Ash Cult’s conspiracy and saved Saint Roland Academy?”
Lieutenant Colonel Sieg opened his arms and gave Shaya a big hug. And at the moment their figures crossed paths, Shaya’s ears picked up Lieutenant Colonel Sieg’s almost inaudible telepathic transmission.
“The things you wanted—”
“His Highness asked me to bring them to you.”
