However, the mont Saul took a single step forward, it was as if he had broken so delicate balance. Countless “snowflakes” floating in the air suddenly surged toward him.
“What the—?” Saul was startled, instinctively raising his hands.
But the snowflakes were heading straight for his hands. The mont they saw them, they desperately tried to burrow inside.
“These… are all soul fragnts?”
Lowering his arms, Saul saw the snowflakes spinning as they entered his skin.
Miniature snowflake whirlwinds began forming around the room.
A look of delight appeared on Saul’s face.
“So many soul fragnts? Just these alone are worth ten spell scrolls.”
He simply spread his arms open, letting the soul fragnts flow into his hands.
“As the soul essence absorbs these fragnts, my magic power is rising quickly too? So quantity really can lead to a qualitative change.”
Even without the black crystal orb, Saul could vaguely sense his magic power surpassing 50 joules—and it was still climbing.
However, as ti went by, a scorching pain began to build in both his hands, as though his skin was about to boil.
Suddenly, the diary flew out on its own.
[April 14th, Year 316 of a Lunar Calendar]
Feels good, doesn’t it?
Snatching up so many soul fragnts at once.
That stockpile others spent years accumulating? All yours now.
But is taking what belongs to others really that easy?
Those vengeful girls couldn’t beat you—
But they can still turn you into one of them.
How does it feel to eat the essence of so many young girls all at once?
Don’t you want to put on a puffy skirt now?
Maybe you’re not Saul anymore…
Maybe we should start calling you Soniel!
“Vile!!!”
Saul roared, startling Penny so badly she stumbled backward in fright.
But the white snowflake-like soul fragnts were still relentlessly burrowing into his hands, and Saul couldn’t stop them even if he wanted to.
He knew that the diary only appeared when ti was short.
He had to find a way to stop the invasion of these soul fragnts!
But soul fragnts were already fragnted—Saul’s usual dead spirit attacks wouldn’t affect them.
And Soul Armor wouldn’t necessarily interpret the fragnts’ invasion as an actual attack either.
“Then I’ll just have to eliminate the malicious consciousness hidden within these fragnts.”
Scanning the room, Saul spotted a desk and so writing materials in the corner.
Everything was covered in dust—clearly the room’s previous owner hadn’t studied in a long ti.
Saul grabbed a sheet of paper and quickly sketched out two composite runes.
Putting down the pen, he double-checked the key coordinates on the rune diagram, then imdiately began constructing the spell!
This was a Rank 1 spell he had nearly finished analyzing: Soul Borer. He had prepared it for the mont his magic power was enough to beco a Second-Rank Apprentice.
Now, to avoid truly becoming “Soniel,” Saul had to harness the chaotic consciousness within the soul fragnts to power the construction of a Rank 1 spell model and break through.
There were certainly risks. Using these murky, external energies to build the spell would make it far less stable than using his own magic. It could lead to unpredictable mutations.
The spell might even beco unusable, permanently occupying space in Saul’s ntal construct.
Rank 1 spells were different from Rank 0 ones—in fact, only spells at Rank 1 and above were considered “true” spells.
These true spells were too complex to reconstruct every ti from scratch, so mages would permanently fix them into their ntal construct for quick casting.
So what Saul was doing now was essentially sacrificing a valuable slot for a Rank 1 spell—just to burn away the chaotic awareness hidden within the soul fragnts.
But losing a Rank 1 spell was still better than letting his consciousness be warped into that of a girl!
Once he was certain the two composite runes were correct, Saul had no ti to write the simpler runes out. He closed his eyes and began constructing Soul Borer.
The two composite runes began taking shape within his ntal construct. The speed and stability of the build would surely make Keli jealous if she could see it.
Dozens of basic runes followed, leaping in from all directions within his ntal space, converging with the composite runes.
Activation, transformation, interlinked by magic.
At that mont, Saul infused the consciousness and energy from the soul fragnts into the formation.
The vibrant runes shuddered.
When they recovered from their frozen state and began flowing again, their lines carried… an almost delicate grace.
Saul frowned, but could only let the process continue.
In the room, Penny sat on the ground with her knees drawn to her chest.
She didn’t know what was happening, but in Saul’s earlier shout of “Vile!”, she’d sensed sothing… deeply complex and overwhelming.
So much so that the little girl didn’t dare to move. She could only sit and wait quietly for her big brother Saul to finish whatever he was doing and co back to her.
Ti passed.
Eventually, Penny’s tiny head drooped onto her knees.
She had fallen asleep.
anwhile, outside the tower in Grind Sail Town, a massive upheaval was unfolding!
Jayce was leading Ada in an attempt to infiltrate the tower.
They were pressed against the wall of a nearby building.
It was Ada’s first ti getting this close.
He looked across the clearing where the Grinding Sound Fruit trees grew, his heart a tangled ss.
The Grinding Sound Fruit had brought prosperity and peace to the town, but it had also been the root of suffering for countless families.
Those not chosen drifted in a daze within the town’s illusion of peace—until the day the nightmare ca knocking.
Ada had once been one of them.
But he couldn’t let Penny die, even if the price was a lifeti on the run with her.
“Hey, focus!” Jayce nudged Ada and pointed at the distant tower. “Penny’s in there now. I don’t know which floor exactly.”
There were no guards outside the tower. Ordinary soldiers generally avoided it.
Most of the manpower was still stationed around the Grinding Sound Fruit fields. Only when necessary would anyone be summoned to the tower.
That gave Jayce and Ada the opening they needed.
Jayce had already mapped out the soldiers’ patrol routes. He began explaining the plan.
“When we move, we go together. See that big door under the tower? We wait for the blind spot in the patrol and slip in. Penny just went in, so the door might still be unlocked. But I don’t know if there are guards inside—if we encounter anyone, take them out imdiately.”
“If things get loud and backup cos, I’ll draw them away. You focus on finding Penny and getting her out.”
Sweat poured from Ada’s palms. He nodded. “Where do you think Penny will be?”
“No idea,” Jayce said, looking him in the eye. “But this is our last chance.”
Ada froze.
He understood all too well how dangerous this was. They might not be able to save Penny—and might not co back themselves.
But he said nothing more. He simply wiped his hands roughly on his pants.
“Alright. I’ll move on your signal. Wait… what’s that over there?”
Ada followed Jayce’s gaze.
Farther north than even the northern outskirts… a line of towering figures was slowly appearing.
Even at this distance, their charging presence sent a familiar and terrifying pressure crashing over him.
Barbarians.
(End of Chapter)
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