Future Path, Unknown Danger

"Life and Will points..." Aurus mumbled to himself as he continued to roll towards the Tempest Ruin. The silver flame covering his body a while ago had already dissipated since he wasn't fighting anymore.

To Aurus who had retrieved the memories of his early-game stages, he was far too familiar with Life and Will points. Life and Will points were the prerequisites needed in order to evolve to a higher grade, and eventually into a higher level of existence.

Normally, it would be either one of the two, with Life points for those of the Sapling path, and Will points for those of the Branch Formosus path. Although both of them fulfill the same thing at evolution, it was also a peek at the ideologies of the two paths.

The Sapling path was all about accepting the blessings of the world and becoming one with the world, thus allowing them to have exuberant vitality at the Animate level of existence.

As for those of the Branch Formosus path, they have decided to carve their own path as they didn't want to accept the blessings of the world. They had the belief that they could become someone great even without it, ending up having an unyielding will and a fierce spirit once they reach the Animate level of existence.

"Sapling, Young Tree, Mature Tree, Treant," Aurus continued to mumble as he remembered the evolution paths for the two paths. "Branch Formosus, Branch Forminosus, Branch Forminosus Grandius, Sentient Branchus."

After a while, he shook these thoughts off his head as he remembered he was a Spiritas. How could he follow the evolution path of those two paths if his species was a combination of both paths?

What he knew was that he should make his foundations strong right now before evolving. He had already wasted two chances before. In preparation for that, he checked the three skills he evolved a while ago.

Ding!

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[Spirit Energy Augmentation] (Lv. 2/5)

Grade: B (Mortal)

As a Spiritas, they wield energy like a swordsman who has used the sword for multiple years. At times, the power of a Spiritas is lacking, hence they sacrifice their SP in exchange for a percentage boost in their overall stats, allowing them to fight against multiple enemies at the same time. The conversion rate of SP to power improves every level up.

Conversion rate: 1.75 SP -> 1% boost

Maximum boost: 60% in all stats

Cooldown: 3 hours

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[High Spirit Channeling] (Lv. 2/5)

Grade: B (Mortal)

As a Spiritas, they are the children of energy, easily manipulating and utilizing energy. At times, they end up having a deficiency in SP, hence they sacrifice their HP for SP. The conversion rate of HP to SP improves at every level up.

Conversion rate: 1.75 HP -> 1 SP

Cooldown: 1.5 hours

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[High Wind Affinity] (Lv. 1/5)

Grade: B (Mortal)

Peering into the intrinsic qualities of the wind surrounding you, you have gained a deeper comprehension of the wind, a comprehension wherein the movements of wind can either work with you or fight against your enemy.

> Damage and projectile speed of skills and spells have been increased by 5%

> All skills and spells are imbued with the Wind element

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"Definitely some good skills that would help me deal damage and last longer," Aurus couldn't help but smile as he looked at the two additional bars hovering above his body. The green and blue bars represented his HP and SP respectively while the two additional bars were colored yellow and red. Aurus instantly knew what they were, given the fact that their length was nowhere near the preceding two.

"Open status screen," Aurus commanded.

Ding!

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[Aurus] (Level 6/10)

Experience: 0/170

Species: Wind Walnut Spiritas (Rare)

Existence Level: Inanimate

Grade: A

[HP]: 135/135

[SP]: 90/90

[Life]: 8/100

[Will]: 3/100

Stats:

[Tenacity]: 20

[Vitality]: 30

[Spirit]: 35

Synchronization Rate: 40%

Unused Experience Points: 0

Unused Genesis Points: 0

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While looking at his status screen, two new stats appeared, which Aurus was expecting since it was announced by the system a while ago after he fought against Arogancia.

"Holy heck, I have higher HP now?" Aurus then looked at his current HP and SP and was shocked to see that his HP increased substantially by just increasing two levels. Aurus mulled over it for a bit before remembering the Class Seed he had.

"Since my SP is now lacking compared to my HP, I should level up my Anima creation skill," Aurus said to himself as he continued to roll. Anima creation, which was previously known as fruit creation before he became a Spiritas, was the reason why Aurus had a large amount of SP.

And since a Spiritas is supposed to have large amounts of SP, he wanted it to stay that way. Hence...

"Disperse!"

Whoosh!

All of the floating Anima, including the 5 specialized Anima dispersed in an instant as all of them came back to Aurus' body. Not long after, he spoke once more.

"Form!"

Whoosh!

Without any delay, the 16 Animas that held SP and the 5 Animas for HP/SP recovery formed once more as they hovered around Aurus' body.

"And now..."

"Repeat!"

...

The Tempest Cliff was renowned as a dangerous place for A-grade Inanimates and below. If they were brave enough, they would only tread the outskirts and then leave. Hence, it was shocking to the group of sticks that detected an A-grade Inanimate getting closer and closer to the center of the Tempest Cliff.

These group of sticks were located at a somewhat hidden place inside the Tempest Cliff. This place was cleaned up and carved into a neat hall...as if it was man-made. But...the only things inside were sticks.

"How the heck did that branch fight against the S-grade branches?" A large branch started to ask as all of them looked at an image in the center of the hall, as if it was a large television screen.

To be honest, every branch within this hall was either a small tree, a large tree, a large branch, or an even larger branch. In other words, this hall was only filled with S and X-grade Inanimates who were close to becoming Animates.

"To be honest, it baffles me as well since we've seen its attacks a while ago," A small tree replied as a thread of SP darted towards the image, making the image more vibrant than before. This tree was the one who conjured the image, its name was Loran, an S-grade Young Tree.

"Didn't you see how it attacked that Young Tree? It used magic spells! Magic! And that magic was of course at a level that is normally impossible for an A-grade Inanimate to wield! I think he's a mutated species of Branch Formosus — Energistus," an extremely large branch commented on how the A-grade Inanimate was able to cast magic, since it was a mage as well. This large branch was named Horell, an X-grade Branch Grandius Forminosus — High Energistus.

The branches and trees continued to argue with one another on the feat the A-grade Inanimate did. All of a sudden, a looming energy covered the whole hall, making the whole hall silent as they looked at the being who exuded this energy.

It was an extremely large branch, akin to Horell. But its body was covered in red carvings, as if it was a cursed branch. No one dared to blurt it out loud because they knew that these carvings served another purpose.

This branch right here was the leader of all the branches and trees inside the hall. Its name?

Herellia, an X-grade Branch Grandius Formosus — Blood Belhazard. Not only that, it had already completed all the requirements needed to evolve to an Animate, but it was waiting for something.

Herellia looked at the image in the center of the hall and examined the A-grade Inanimate intently. After a while, it opened its mouth as it shouted, "It's not weird for that A-grade Inanimate to tread inside the Tempest Cliff without any fear. It is a Spiritas, a stronger being compared to all of you in terms of evolution."

Hearing these words, all of the branches and trees were furious, but they remembered that Herellia was the most knowledgeable when it came to these things so they shut up. After a while, Herellia spoke once more.

"It seems that it is heading for the Tempest Ruin. Horell, Loran, I want you to follow that Spiritas and make it join our Tempest Branch Alliance."

"The addition of a Spiritas into our alliance will allow us to fight against Animates without any problem."