Spirit Bone and Departure.

External Spirit Bone in the shape of wings!

He will be able to fly! Aiden didn't believe his own luck.

= Absorb it, I will guide the process, it's a bit complicated.

Aiden calmed himself and used Horont and Krondan in sequence with Nexus guidance and figured out why it was a very painful and dangerous undertaking. The first thing a master needs to do to gain external spirit bone is to connect it to his or her bones, but it's the second step that really made many fail the attempt.

After creating the bone structure of semi-spirit external bone, one needs to extend neuron and energy systems inside for them to come to life! And it's precisely this step that is firstly tremendously painful, one just doesn't go and simply elongated one's own nerves, and secondly perilous in general.

As for the third step – it is actually learning to move them. If someone suddenly acquired a tail in the middle of their life, they won't be able to move it because the mind has no idea how. It goes the same way even for arms and legs which were severed at birth!

Most needed an extended period of time to learn the usage of external spirit bones.

= Master, with me here I can directly create all necessary nerve systems and reflexes for you and implant knowledge of combat with wings.

"You even have those functions?" – Aiden was sincere in his astonishment. That was some top level of manipulation of mind that most can't even dream of. – "Okay, do it. Soon this would turn lively and I want to leave beforehand."

If Aiden thought it would be less painful and easy… well, he was mistaken. Nexus took his time to do all thoroughly, even the neuron system was thick and responsive on a completely different level compared to other masters.

He didn't remember how he got back, but he awakened in a cave with feelings of something new in his body. Just one easy mental command, completely natural like lifting a hand and huge wings of three to four meters each unfolded themselves.

They were magnificent and otherworldly. It wasn't some regular hawk wings, because Nexus modeled them to completely merge with Aiden's martial spirits and elements of choice, namely ice and lightning. They were platinum in color with feathers from crystals and lightning in the midst, but most of them were covered in dragon scales showing hybrid nature.

"This… wow…"

They moved with the fluidity and closeness of his own arms and even had unique property – feathers and scales could fold and sharpen themselves to become a deadly weapon. It was like how Storm Legion Fell Hawk used them to attack as a spear while piercing forward and a sword when performing a swipe.

But that's only property, they also granted Aiden new ability – Storm Guard. He can cover himself and people around with wings, conjuring dome of ice and creating repelling force with lightning. Defense properties of such a move were very high, but so was the consumption of energy.

Aiden folded them back and wings disappeared in a pattern on his back.

"Looks like I need to add a feature to my clothes."

= Oh, I already thought about it. This is the formation you need.

"Oh! Good. When we are ready, let's go to the south." – Aiden nodded and skimped through his new two abilities, feeling satisfied.

This time his abilities were very straightforward and strong. For dragon spirit, he gained a skill Dragon Claw. Sure, sound boring and unassuming, that is, if the effect is unknown. It's not like his hand will transform or his arm will welcome some close combat move… no.

This Dragon Claw will descend from above, laying waste to everything in the vicinity. And one must know, not only its might is tremendous, the sheer size of it is impressive as hell! If he had this skill during the fight with the hawk, one stomp would have been enough to smash it and implant it in the ground.

As for the third flower… it gave him another buff ability, similar to the one that increased strength, but it worked on speed instead. Overall, Aiden was pleased. It seems demon rings are normally more powerful than regular ones. Works good for him, after all, demons are not exactly a healthy case of life form to be alive.

They are like a plague.

And it looks like it meant for him to cure it. More importantly, he can use their rings in aging his own.

"Nexus, is there any available information about spirit evolution?"

= Nothing, master. Just conjectures based on the novel, simply useless. I can only say that presumably one needs to find a complementary existence that will force the process. For mild spirits, it should be of a symbiotic nature, for battle one like your dragon I think antagonistic is better, as they will force it to struggle.

"Hm… so if it is a plant, I need some immortal herb? Or I can use energy antagonistic to it like forces of death? But that works only once. I don't want to wet your shoulder in tears of unease, but my hunch is that second awakening will at most give me two to three more flowers."

= Within reason to expect the worst, still, if I will be able to fully record the evolutionary process, it is possible to understand its genuine source and make further arrangements.

"So, for now, no spirit evolution theory until I get my hands on a suitable Immortal herb. Noted and placed in plans. What about artificial rings and spirit bones?"

= Two problems with rings, as for bones – haven't even started yet.

"What's wrong with rings?"

= First is composition. Namely, matter or energies of their origin. To create a ring one needs three energies: soul, life, and spirit forces. For soul force, a soul master can provide it and replenished later through sleep or meditation. Spirit force more or less the same. What really became a troublesome issue is the life force. We basically need its infusion to bring spirit ring to life.

"So… we can't synthesize one?" – Aiden frowned for real. Because what Nexus said technically told him to find sacrifices. – "Bad idea. Work more."

= Not that bad, actually. You have a superb source of all three energies under your nose.

Nexus stated that as a matter of fact, still understanding where it is going Aiden broke out in a playful grin.

"Right, I do have demons on my wake." – he said. – "But it is a temporary solution never the less. Okay, what about the second problem?"

= Small library of rings, making it nearly impossible to create artificial rings aside from the ones recorded. What we need is to scan, to scan, and again to scan. I will tell you when the basic model will be ready and by that time you essentially will create your own skills. Oh, and most likely for the different age groups we will need a separate array of scans, but with the aging crucible, it is just inconvenient.

"Got it. Say, Nexus, if I add bone essence to my external spirit bone, what will happen?"

= Well, my research on spirit bones is shallow, but we can use bone essence as a fundamental material for their artificial construction, however aging is an unfamiliar process, it involves spirit patterns, similar to spirit rings. So… in my opinion it will simply hasten any spirit bone regeneration or, perhaps, the temporary increase might of skill, in your case, it's Storm Guard.

Aiden nodded thoughtfully. Enhancing external spirit bone is no easy feat and yet to be researched.

= Also, Master, your order was complete.

"The one…"

= Precisely this one, master. – there is some pride transmitted through mental links.

"Radius?"

= Two hundred meters.

"Haha, you did very well. What do you need to enhance it?"

= I did it similar to spirit ring, so the same process as aging will be fine.

Aiden nodded and was finally certain of some proper developments.

"Use all you need."

So much to do at once but only one Nexus, one brain, and just two arms. No matter how strong you are, there is a limit on how much a single person can do. Aiden shifted his gaze and looked at the horizon in direction of the North Pole southern border in deep thought.