67 Half Step

The Strands from my Spiritual Twin extended as it connected to me. Through that, my mind went on to focus on establishing five more Strands inside my own body. With the help of the surrounding Spirit Energy, the process in which I successfully established the connection of 5 Strands was sped up.

I immediately felt the connection to the Spirit Ocean through my main body and along with it were five identical system messages regarding the Strands and one which indicated the stats I gained by mirroring the connection made by my Spiritual Twin.

[A Strand of Connection has been established.]

[Gained 2.5 Strength and 5 Endurance.]

I got half of its base stats but there's no additional stat bonus as it will probably be given when I successfully merged with it and turned the 10 Strands of Connection into a Stream.

As soon as the 5 Strands appeared in my main body, my consciousness immediately travelled to the familiar Spirit Ocean wherein a huge ocean of Spirit Energy could be seen with almost no end in sight.

Of course, I didn't really intend to breakthrough, it was all to meet the World's Will again. By alarming it through this forceful breakthrough, it immediately pulled me back in.

That one meeting wasn't enough. I needed to know where it drew the line. I couldn't be too cautious or I might harvest less than I needed here.

The World's Will warning me about my exploitation of Spirit Energy was a given but I shouldn't restrict my growth or I would have no way to catch up to the Heroes' growth or even the true powerhouses that will soon descend.

It could read my mind so before being pulled in, I cleared my current thoughts for it not to notice my true motive.

"You actually want to breakthrough at this moment. After the warning I have given you."

I have no choice, I want to be useful for the upcoming battle we will have to experience soon. Surely, you already know about that breach, right? If that was successfully opened, Yumiko will not have any time to stay in this world.

"Indeed. However, that is that and this is this. By the pace they are going at it, they will not be able to open a passage to your Higher World any time soon."

Come on, will you keep restricting me? At least set a limitation as to until which stage I could reach. I might be exploiting my ability to control the Spirit Energy around me but that's just a small drop from this Spirit Ocean, right?

"Your potential as a threat is too high. I'd rather restrict you than let you run rampant. However, I can let you reach the next realm in the next three days."

I see. I can proceed to the next realm but why three days? It's not like the energy I can control will immediately elevate me to become a Ruler Spirit.

Among the Spiritas, there's no one who reached that realm as well. Is the World's Will also restricting its denizens? The Invading Forces' portal will soon widen and that will allow stronger enemies to descend, how can the denizens cope with it? Will they only rely on Yumiko?

"I'm not restricting them, they just don't know how to. They're stuck on their mindset to search for the actual Spirit Ocean. Devoting their whole lives in that fantasy that upon finding it, they'll ascend to become a Ruler Spirit. However that mindset is wrong, they're bound to not reach it or even surpass being a Ruler Spirit if they didn't change that."

So their approach to becoming a Ruler Spirit is wrong? Then, was there a Ruler Spirit who existed before? Just like how there's a legend about the Emperor Realm 300 years ago in the World of Barbarians.

"There is one currently existing in this era. The Spirit King."

Upon leaving that kind of revelation, my consciousness was ejected from the Spirit Ocean and in front of me showed Trax who was still in the process of breaking through.

His 5 Streams were already merged together but he needed to project 5 more Streams to merge it with for it to become a River.

And looking at him now, he's having a hard time doing it.

Though I couldn't say the same with me, with the 5 Strands already opened, I could be said to be already at Half Step to become a Fused Spirit.

My Spiritual Twin still hasn't completely merged and because of that, there's something like thin threads one you would see on puppets connecting me to it. These threads were the Strands I'm supposed to merge together for it to become a Stream.

However, due to me stopping it, I was stuck in this state where my Spiritual Twin couldn't go as far away from me as before.

But really, the World's Will suddenly ejecting me after revealing a piece of important information. The Spirit King is at the level of a Ruler Spirit, eh?

That's probably why it could hold the reins and lead the Spirit Beasts alone and also the reason why they couldn't be influenced by the Invading Forces. But what's with its interest in Yumiko?

Minutes passed and the Spirit Energy surrounding Trax has thinned without any of the 5 Streams he's trying to project materializing.

He failed his breakthrough but because of the successful merging of his 5 Streams, he also became a Half Step Transformed Spirit.

Instead of becoming a Transformed Spirit, he only experienced a Pseudo-Transformation, His skin turned azure but one can see that it's not a complete transformation, unlike how Jayna turned to a Nymph-like creature or how Yumiko grew out her wings.

Though he failed, he managed to increase his strength.

Still breathing heavily due to the lack of Spirit Energy, an illusory curtain of water rose behind him. He jumped up and rode it as the water turned into raging waves rushing to my position.

His azure-colored spear was submerged into the water as it seemingly being multiplied by it which turned into projectiles that shot at me along with the raging waves.

"I can't believe I failed to become a Transformed Spirit. But with this, it's enough to defeat a Natal Spirit who also failed his breakthrough!"

Trax's voice traveled along his waves as it echoed throughout the coliseum.

This guy thought I also failed when in truth, I chose to stop it myself. Either way, this is our final clash. He'll be too drained of his Spirit Energy once he's done with this attack.

Defending from this will be equal to my victory. I stood straight as I used my ability to control the surrounding Spirit Energy to gather it in front of me. From that, I shaped it to become a transparent shield that covered my body.

After it, I made a stance of someone shooting an arrow. Materializing the Dispelling Bow, my Spiritual Twin copied me. With two bows, I generated four arrows from the Spirit Energy contained within me and divided it between me and my Spiritual Twin.

Aiming at the raging waves and at the silhouette of a person on top of it, we shot the Dispelling Arrows, two of which were aimed at the two ends of raging waves, one at the middle and lastly, one at the person riding on top of it.

As soon as the arrows made contact, it was submerged and dissolved before it spread throughout the raging waves The copied azure spears slowly disappeared as the raging waves also subsided.

Soon enough, the chaotic stage turned calm as a dull thud sounded out when Trax dropped down from above, unconscious.

The terrifying waves were quietly dissolved just like that and due to being hit by another Dispelling Arrow, Trax's pseudo-transformation was also dispelled turning him back to his tattered self before his breakthrough.

Upon witnessing that seemingly underwhelming upset. The audience who were too excited just earlier started to doubt their eyes. With one of them scratching their eye and pinching their cheeks, only then would someone exclaim the outcome of the Final Battle.

"Ember wins!"

The loud voice of the announcer woke up everyone from their trance as they started chanting my fake name in concert.

Since they're too enthusiastic at doing that. I raised my arm, indicating my victory. Just like how those athletes from Earth always raise their arms as a show of how confident they are.

This will probably be written in their history books if there were any. But yeah the hardest part will now start.

Meeting a Noble Spirit, will he be suspicious or will he let this slide?

After taking away Trax to be treated, the platform where the Noble Spirit and those close to him moved from the corner and landed in the middle of the stage.

I hurriedly dodged the place where it would land. They could at least tell me that something like that will happen, no?

With Yumiko and Jayna seemingly amused at what just happened, I was urged to go up the platform for me to be awarded.

The audience was still continuing to chat my name but when the Noble Spirit stood up from his seat, the whole coliseum turned quiet.

"Good lad! How about joining my family?"

With these words as an opening. I couldn't help but question what kind of competition I joined?

Didn't he need to congratulate me first?

"Father!"

Jayna shouted from her seat. While her mother was shaking her head at the display of her husband.

Yumiko was still smiling there. Ah. No. She's already giggling at her seat. I guess this was enough entertainment for her.

"I'm sorry. I can't follow what you just said, honorable Noble Spirit."

I tried acting dumb as if I don't understand the meaning of what he just said.

"Lad. Can you just play along with me? I just thought of teasing my daughter. See? She's wily and often plays pranks on other people."

Without opening his mouth, I heard his voice inside my head. Telepathy?

I looked up at him and he's nodding his head with his dignified expression that's not showing what's really going on inside his mind.

Teasing his daughter? What a great father! But I feel like if I played along I might fall into a trap called betrothal. Let's oof at that.

"How is it? What's your answer?"

Ignoring what I said, he opened his mouth seeking for an answer from his first question.

"Is it fine to say no?"

Hearing my answer, his eyebrows twitched as he maintained his dignified expression that's about to be broken.

Just give me the Orb, please? I still have to go and collect my winnings. They might run away from me!