88 || Perks Of The Nodes! 12 Gates Of Refinement!

Everyone present was fully aware that Tara had used nothing but her body to win. That's what made it terrifying. With such physical power aided by her aural energies in tandem, what type of scene would that be? Furthermore, those that knew Tara had the Twin Sphere energy to further reinforce her attacks, they felt shivers run through their entire being.

If Tara were to reveal that she didn't even have full control over her new ability, they would have looked at her as if she had three heads. So instead she merely bowed to her unconscious enemies and quickly left the area. This time she used the force concentration alongside Solar Thunder Waltz to vanish with only a flash of light behind.

Tara heads back to the Stone Chamber to finally sit down and go over her gains. It'll take at least a week for the twins to recover physically, mentally, and emotionally after such a public loss was even recorded.

In fact, by tomorrow the recording will be sent to the various nobles, powerful non-noble families, and merchant guilds. Even the King sees her display such strength, leading to another change in Tara's status in the recent future.

As of the present, Tara sits criss cross on the rocky floor. Msireta appears in front of her facing Tara, impressed albeit a little confused at what just happened. Despite sharing memories when meeting Tara's otherworldly friends, Tara's natural memories and insights are inaccessible.

Even the System screens are blocked from Msireta's view, not to mention Wolyung and Oorun when they're awake. The Main System could be considered the highest power in the virtual world.

[Particle of Gravity (1/3)! You have Learned Orbital Draw.]

[Cluster Soma Node (Level 1/3)]

You have gained the Resilient Stat!

2/3 Locked

3/3 Locked

[Mindful Dark Node (Level 1/3)]

You have gained Fortitude Stat!

2/3 Locked

3/3 Locked

[Ordained Soul Node (Level 1/3]

You have gained Equanimity Stat!

2/3 Locked

3/3 Locked

This is the information Tara receives, as well as the Node Creation Technique. [Orbital Draw] allows her already rapid gathering to get more in less time. Tara gains three new hidden Stats. Resilient increased resistance against physical damage and pressure, or Impinge. Fortitude is mind damage and Intent, while Equanimity is to spiritual damage and Inure. Now she could withstand the full might of a mid stage Marrow Sparking fighter pretty easily and withstand their attacks for some time without aura!

Or at least she will be able to. There's an additional message stating the Nodes have not been set.

"Msireta, how do I set the Nodes to my body?" Tara asks as she finally turns her attention back to her Guardian. Msireta for her part took it as Tara centering herself before being ready.

"That's fairly easy; the energy rests first in your aural ports before focusing on drawing it out. Once it's completely separated it will form a transparent clear sphere with swirls of the energy in it. Unlike your aural energy which is intangible, it will already be in the next stage as Wisps. The more they circulate through your body and within your Nodes, the more they'll grow."

Tara closes her eyes and slowly begins to draw out the fused energies of her Nodes out from her aural ports. The Ordained Soul to her stabilizes at her abdomen, the Cluster Soma to her cleft between her chest, and finally Mindful Dark resting within her glabella. As Msireta had said, they formed transparent spheres with two colored energies swirling within.

"Oh? How lucky and convenient!" Msiretsa comments aloud as she observes the glow from the Nodes finally settling. Tara takes a moment to inspect the energy before opening her eyes for Msiretsa's explanation.

"Nodes don't have a set position, which is why it takes some time to find them after a kill. Yours aligned perfectly with three of your body's inner Gates. It's very fortuitous for your foundation and growth."

"Which Gates did they land on and how many Gates are there?" Tara asks. This is the first she's heard of the term at least in relation to the body.

"The 12 Gates, four outer and eight inner, are also called the Organ Refinement Stages. Unlike Body Tempering there isn't a set order to follow, with your Nodes aligned with three of the four hardest. Your Light Spirit with the Fulmen Gate, Dark Mind with the Tenebrous Gate, and Gravity Body with the Alloy Gate. Since they circle automatically you'll have less trouble opening them in the future."

Tara takes a moment to think if she's ever heard of Organ Refinement, but nothing comes to mind. "What does Organ Refinement mean? I've never heard of it."

"To your question I'll ask my own: why is Bone Crystallization the hardest stage and why some won't complete it till even Marrow Sparking?"

"Because of the danger of damaging the organs? Going too fast even with the Sun Seed Pill can cause major damage," Tara feels like she's connecting the dots. Her Support Expertise comes into play as she goes over everything she knows about Body Altering. Every stage involves infusing parts of the body with aura except the last two. Navel Enshrouding and Eye Illuminating coated the stomach or eyes just like an Elemental Raiment. "Does it have to do with coating the organs?"

Msiretsa grins as she nods. "Yes and no. Each Gate corresponds to a different organ or internal aspect, but it restructures them to be made of energy. Doing so vastly increases energy control, conductivity, and consumption besides obvious boosts to strength, endurance, and recovery. The last two stages of Body Altering for humans can be considered the start of Organ Refinement while for Zolani, it usually begins following Bone Crystallization instinctively."

"This is the reason your cubs exceed even your own growth, as they began the moment you started Bone Crystallization due to being a variant. It's a bit of a paradox: humans struggle to advance the last two Body Altering stages because none of their Gates are open but can't open their Gates before advancing. Unless we use the method I did."

Some ideas swirl in Tara's mind as she reviews what she's learned thus far. She's reminded of her unlocking of Viyen's lock, but she needs a bit more information.

"Now that I've unlocked your Bloodline, we can begin with the easiest gates. The four outer Gates, also called the Cardinal Gates, are Eastern Ears, Northern Nose, Western Mouth, and Southern Eyes. It goes without saying the mouth and stomach are connected, while the ears are to the kidney and nose to the liver. My constitution blessed me to be born with the Western Mouth and Southern Eyes unlocked so I skipped the last two stages of Body Altering entirely. I still had to build my way up to control my power, however." Msiretsa gives a knowing smirk as Tara's face turns sheepish.

"Can I use my Node Clones to open the outer Gates?" Tara asks expectantly. If she could unlock faster she'd see her ability skyrocket!

"No," Msiretsa replies, causing Tara to deflate, "But they should be able to facilitate opening some of the inner Gates. Other than the 3 where your Nodes are located, they should assist with the others. The right palm's Blaze Gate, the left palm's Flood Gate, the left sole's Mountain Gate, and the right sole's Hurricane Gate."

"But that's only 11?" Tara counts the ones spoken of, realizing the hardest Gate was never mentioned. Msiretsa frowns for the first time while giving her explanation.

"Before I tell you, swear on your soul that you won't attempt unlocking it until at least seven others are open."

To emphasize the seriousness, a system prompt appears stating account damage will occur with an unprepared attempt. Tara's eyes bugle in shock and surprise, but her curiosity gets the better of her as she accepts.

Msiretsa sighs before explaining what other organs the Gates remake, leaving the hardest three for last. "The Alloy Gate deals with the arteries, bolstering the regeneration and purification of Blood Flowing while evolving the elemental wielding of Vein Plating to a catastrophic degree of control. The Tenebrous Gate transforms the synapses for instant processing, reflexes, and flexibility. The final gate, the Numinous Gate, transforms the very cells of your entire body. If done too early your entire body could be untethered from reality, not just simply death."

Tara goes quiet for a moment. Her arteries, synapses, and cells were the hardest parts of her body to infuse with aural energy let alone change their entire makeup.

The pain of just one of the final Gates must make her Elemental Raiment training feel like an itch. She was suddenly glad that three of them could be done passively with her Nodes and the rest with her Clones. At the thought of less pressure, Tara realizes something.

"What about my lungs, brain, and heart?" They were the three major organs but were somehow not included! Msiretsa however merely watches her, as Tara's wheels turn."Lung Tempering! The hidden three stages of Body Altering--they're actually Organ Refinement stages!"

As if a dam broke, the pink fog surrounding the last two Body Altering, no, Organ Refinement Stages were revealed to her! Lung Tempering! Brain Amplifying! Heart Expanding! Those were the names! So much excitement fills Tara's eyes at this revelation that Msireta can't help but give a gleeful laugh.

"Why is it that I haven't heard of Organ Refinement before?" Tara asks confusedly. Despite the vast information she has at her fingertips, she hadn't come across the term.

"That's a question I'd like to answer later, if that is alright. You've already taken in a lot of new information today, I would rather not overwhelm you." Msireta deflects honestly. Tara pouts a little but accedes. "I would like to make another request of you though. Would you allow your ascension of the stages to be sealed temporally?"

There's a pause before continuing, "Until you've at least opened the Cardinal Gates, just so that way you have a more stable foundation. Even so, while I don't entirely understand what you achieved earlier, with what you displayed defending yourself shouldn't be an issue."

Tara can easily parse Msireta's concern. The thought that she is growing too fast, making her future path unsteady and dangerous. This was also something on Tara's mind as well, as she's already at Billowing Muscle faster than expected. Tara was worried if she grew anymore she'd have to leave the Academy and therefore never finish the Chamber Trials. Too many eyes were on her and her family due to the recent events. Going slower would allow their interest to wane.

Furthermore it'd allow her to be more accomplished in her various abilities. Her Expertise still needed a lot of work to get comfortable with, she'd like to be able to further her Elemental Raiment, plus there was the linking of her Blade Play, Sword Arts, and Twin Sphere Body Arts into a proper Retention Technique.