'…Why is she saying "a few years" like it's just a couple of days? She makes it sound like that's a short period or something.'
Ellis couldn't help but wonder, but in the end, he was actually relieved and satisfied that it apparently wouldn't affect him much. After all, he was still a baby- he would need time to grow anyway.
With that settled, he moved on… and asked.
'Why is there only one ability? And I don't see anything indicating levels, so how do I get Blank points?'
[Due to the shard of **** absorbing some parts of the blessing, those left parts became fragmented and unusable. So when the **** system was established, I redirected them into the host's innate talent.]
[Then, after merging and improving, it became the "Ephemeral Soul Genesis" ability.]
[The level function was removed because it lost its meaning. As for Blank points, they can be obtained through killing others.]
Digesting the answer thoroughly, Ellis felt like nothing much had changed. His ability just had a different name now, and instead of earning unassigned points upon leveling up, he would get Blank points immediately.
Accepting that, Ellis, who had initially thought his questions were already over, found himself asking Aurora yet another one.
'Then where did the Absorption skill come from? And more importantly, why is the physique I acquired incomplete?'
[The Absorption skill was formed as a side effect of the host absorbing the Nyxara cat's crystal core, with a part of your innate ability also mixing in.]
[As for the physique, it remains incomplete due to its connection to the **** shard… And the current shard you possess is too small, so absorbing more should help complete it.]
Ellis couldn't help but feel like everything now revolved around absorbing more gray shards, which left him a little stressed… especially since he had no idea how to find them in the first place.
Still, that was a problem for the future. For now, all that remained was curiosity, as he still hadn't read the ability and skill descriptions. And while part of him felt that this "side effect" was just a convenient excuse from the system, the other explanation at least sounded plausible.
Trying to direct his will, Ellis still attempted to see if there was a description for the physique. But nothing appeared. And he couldn't sense anything that indicated what it actually did, how it would help him, or even what made it unique. Just how useful—or strong—was this physique supposed to be?
In the end, he just shrugged, not particularly bothered by the lack of explanation. After all, it wasn't something he had actively sought… it had simply been something he acquired when he least expected it. So, with that, he shifted his focus to his ability.
[Ephemeral Soul Genesis]
I) Limitless Rebirth (Available In: 4y 11m 24d)
Ephemeral Soul Genesis grants the individual the ability to reincarnate once every five years, either by choice or upon death.
II) Soul Preservation
While in the soul state during reincarnation, the individual is granted absolute protection against external attacks, ensuring the preservation of their soul essence and maintaining its resilience through each cycle of rebirth.
III) Flawless Memory Resonance
In each reincarnation, Ephemeral Soul Genesis ensures flawless memory retention.
IV) Basic Soul Evolution
With every rebirth, the soul absorbs and integrates the world's elements and laws, becoming stronger and more refined.
V) Basic World's Affinity
The evolving affinity within Ephemeral Soul Genesis extends beyond a single element. Over time, it forms a thin connection between the individual's soul and the world itself, gradually amplifying their natural affinities.
'Wow,' Ellis exclaimed internally as he opened the long description of his ability and read through it. He couldn't help but feel it was overpowered. The vague description of the blessing from before now made much more sense, and the fact that he no longer had to fear death was incredibly reassuring… even if there was still a five-year period of vulnerability.
Still, that was far better than an undefined timeframe that could have been longer than his natural lifespan, after all.
And while the part about absorbing a fragment from his slain opponent's soul was missing, which was a little disappointing, the inclusion of Basic World's Affinity and Soul Evolution more than made up for it. Now, he could also understand how the Absorption skill had come to be, which made a lot more sense.
[Absorption] (Passive) Lv.1
You can absorb and process a greater amount of substances through eating. Depending on what you consume, the skill could slightly enhances your attributes and provides a small chance to gain Blank Points, while also offering limited protection against negative effects.
Reading through the skill's description, Ellis didn't find it nearly as overpowered as Ephemeral Soul Genesis, but the fact that it was a skill, and could be leveled up, gave it immense potential. That alone was enough to leave him satisfied.
He had wanted to ask Aurora why his weapon-related skills had reset to Lv.1, but in the end, maybe he had pushed his brain and small body too much. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he could think any further, sleepiness overtook him.