Alone.
No, not truly alone. Broken might have been traveling this ti in Beebot by himself, but he wasn't entirely without company. A few spirit beasts bound to him by contract were always nearby, ready to be summoned in monts like this.
As the Crawling Carriage rumbled across the desert sands, Polly suddenly appeared inside the cabin. The little creature darted around before leaping to the front window, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she stared out at the vast, golden expanse stretching endlessly before them. Monts later, Blaze-the blazing skeleton demon beast-manifested in the carriage. The fiery horse let out a low growl before settling lazily in the middle of the space, its flaming aura dimd slightly to avoid scorching the surroundings.
Broken glanced at Blaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He rarely brought the demon beast onto the battlefield, preferring to keep its existence under wraps. Only mbers of the Vensalor Guild were aware of its presence-a secret he intended to keep.
As for Pawpaw, the playful spirit beast was still back in the capital, staying with Alora. Then, there was Gaia.
Unlike before, when she could only reside within her ring, Gaia now had the ability to manifest freely. Her appearance was striking as she stepped into the room-her leaf-like dress shifting lightly with her movents, intertwined vines forming a delicate halo above her head.
What stood out even more was her transformation. The shadowy cloak she now wore lent her an air of quiet power, making her seem entirely different from her previous self. Her long hair, a blend of deep red and ashen hues, cascaded down her back.
Broken sat on the plush sofa in the center of the carriage, his posture relaxed but his thoughts clearly occupied. Gaia stood before him for a mont, before settling gracefully on the armrest beside him.
"Ah... you've been so busy you've practically forgotten the world, Master," Gaia remarked with a faint smirk.
"I suppose that's true," Broken admitted, leaning back against the sofa. "But it's more because I don't want to draw too much attention when I summon you all. That's why I rarely bring you out."
He paused before asking, "What's it like for you when you're not summoned? Or when you're inside the ring?"
Gaia tilted her head thoughtfully, her tone steady as she replied, "That kind of sense doesn't really apply to -or the others. If anything, being outside like this consus more energy. Staying in an item or in the spirit world is much better for preserving our strength." She crossed her legs, her expression softening as she continued, "However... contracted spirits grow stronger and develop faster when we actively interact, fight, or engage in activities with our master. So, yes, summoning us more often benefits you in the long run." "Got it," Broken said with a nod. "I'll keep that in mind."
After a brief silence, Broken spoke again. "Now that you've reached Legendary-grade, does that an you're just one step away from achieving your full strength, Gaia?"
"No," she replied calmly. "This is still far from what I could achieve before forming a contract with you. Grade is only a small part of it. Beyond that, there's skill, level, and many other factors to consider. But... with my current form, I know that my path will be very different from what it was before."
"Different how?"
"I now carry both nature and demon essences within ," Gaia explained. "It's fascinating because this combination ans I'll discover entirely new possibilities in my progress."
Broken leaned forward slightly. "That's sothing I've been wondering too. Have you felt any significant changes-like in your personality or anything else? Because I've noticed you're interacting differently this ti around."
"I can feel it too," Gaia admitted.
She stood gracefully, her movents fluid, and walked over to another chair. Sitting down, she crossed her legs and let her fingers play with the swirling shadow energy in her hand. "I've inherited fragnts of a Gremory's personality—their motives, their tendencies- though it's still within a realm I can control," she said. "Especially considering how the original owner of this soul stone lived his unnaturally long life. Beyond that... my mind feels conflicted at tis-between my natural inclination to protect and this other desire for destruction."
Broken smirked at her words. "That's pretty much who you were when you first ca into existence: destruction."
"Yes," Gaia replied without hesitation. "I won't deny that."
Broken pulled out a Demon Soul Stone he had acquired in the previous battle.
[Epic - Balefire Demon Soul Stone Lv. 231]
He held it up, letting its dark energy hum faintly in the air. Blaze, sitting nearby, reacted with
a low rumble, briefly glancing at the item before settling back down in his resting position.
"This is Epic-grade," Broken said. "I'm considering giving it to one of them." He gestured slightly, indicating Polly, Blaze, or Pawpaw.
"You're not seriously thinking about giving Polly a Demon Soul Stone, are you?" Gaia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I am," Broken admitted.
Gaia sighed lightly. "Then your real options are Pawpaw or Blaze. But if you ask , Pawpaw has consud several Soul Stones before, and they haven't had a significant impact on him." She paused for a mont, her expression shifting into contemplation before continuing, "Maybe it's because Pawpaw was born from a Nad Demon Egg. If that's the case, he might require a much higher dose-perhaps even another Nad Demon Soul Stone-to see any real progression."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
Broken understood the imnse value of the Soul Stone in his hand. Yet, strengthening his arsenal was just as important—an investnt in his future. He knew that one of his contracted beasts would be able to fully utilize the potential of this Soul Stone.
"Blaze," he called out.
The demon beast imdiately responded, standing up and moving toward him with a deliberate gait, its skeletal fra glowing faintly. Blaze shifted its body slightly, letting out a
low, guttural sound as it approached.
"This food is for you," Broken said, holding the Soul Stone out.
The demon horse moved again, its fiery mane flickering brighter.
"He's gladly accepting it," Gaia said.
Broken nodded and continued, "Balefire is a demon with fire as its core elent, which makes this a perfect match for you. It also had incredibly sturdy armor-I'm hoping you can inherit that trait as well. But don't think too much of it; consu this as just another step in your
growth, Blaze."
With that, he extended the Balefire Demon Soul Stone toward the demon horse. Blaze leaned forward, and the stone began to glow, its energy spiraling outward before being absorbed directly into the beast's body.
The Soul Stone vanished in an instant, its essence rging seamlessly with Blaze.
Broken watched the flas on Blaze's body grow more intense. Yet, there was no imdiate
notification.
He reached out, gently stroking the demon horse's skeletal head. Blaze responded with a low rumble before turning and walking back to the center of the room, where it settled down to
rest.
"It will take ti," Broken thought to himself, "for the Soul Stone to be fully consud and
for its effects to manifest."
And so, he waited.
Minutes passed, and then, at last, the long-anticipated notification appeared before him.
[Charfire Equine - Blaze has successfully consud the Balefire Demon Soul Stone.]
[A partial transformation has occurred.]
Reviews
All reviews (0)