Mysteries of the Soul (2)

Sebastian and Balanos stayed in the city for a few days. Pine was finished repairing his gear in just a couple of days but waiting for extra arrows and making potions delayed their return to the forest.

Needless to say, Balanos stayed with Sebastian. Although she had a body now, she didn't need to sleep and simply became a lookout inside his room. Nobody was aware of her presence, not even Amy who had visited his room a few times while Balanos was there.

Maybe if it were someone on the same level as Jonathan, a Caster, but Amy who was still an Apprentice was far from being able to see through Balanos' concealment.

Currently, the two of them were sitting across each other stuffing their faces with pasta and bread. Balanos wore normal clothes recommended by one of the clothing stores near the restaurant. Although it was a bit risky with Sebastian's face being well-known, he didn't think he was so important that people would spread rumors of him just because he was eating with an unknown beauty.

"So..." Sebastian chewed and swallowed the pasta in his mouth before continuing, "when are you going to tell me what you meant by 'temporary power'? I understood the part about melding your body with my soul since I've half-experienced it when you used a part of your soul to latch onto me but that temporary power is beyond me.

"Is it an increase in power—or... yeah, that's about all I can think of."

It was a question that he should've been asking a few days ago but didn't do so until now.

"..." Balanos also swallowed the pasta in her mouth. Ever since she formed her body, she had been craving food. When Sebastian first brought her to the capital, her stomach began growling and after disguising the roots and leaves on her body, they began eating from various stores left and right.

Needless to say, a dent was made in Sebastian's funds in just a few days. Although he had also contributed to eating the food, Balanos ate at least five times more than him.

"Just like you, there are people born with a strong lifeforce at birth. Those born with a strong lifeforce can learn how to manipulate it. As a hamadryad connected with nature, I hold many times more lifeforce than most creatures and can manipulate it as naturally as I breathe.

"Lifeforce is an aspect of the soul. Without a lifeforce, a large part of the soul would be lost. On the other hand, if there is an abundance of lifeforce, then the soul would become stronger. With a strong enough soul and the skill to manipulate lifeforce, you can make your soul manifest into the physical plane.

"—This technique is called Soul Weaving. Theoretically, the user—or in this case, the weaver, can weave anything they so desire. Unfortunately, there have only been three successful items woven. Weapons, armor, and shields."

Balanos tucked the hair about to hit the food back behind her ear and continued eating.

"Then, by temporary power, you mean that I would temporarily borrow what you can weave with your Soul Weaving?"

"Yes."

"Then, what are you able to weave?"

"Armor. I think it's best to show you. You'd be able to understand it more."

After scarfing down the last of their meals, they headed for the estate's backyard. With Sebastian's training and Balanos' skills, nobody was able to see them.

Balanos told Sebastian to keep some distance and walked to the center of the backyard. Then, she turned back from Sebastian and opened her arms, "Balanos!"

Her voice sounded like it doubled for an instant, Sebastian felt like he was hearing things.

Suddenly, accompanied by a flash of green light, a full set of armor covered Balanos. It looked like it was made from a mix of the finest jades and emeralds but at the same time, it also looked like it was made of the hardest materials on the planet.

Compared to the average knight's armor, it had more features and jagged plates. It looked like something that belonged in a book or as an unusable antique but when Balanos turned her body, he realized that it hadn't limited her movements in the least. She walked as if she wasn't wearing any armor, just clothing fit for movement.

"With Soul Weaving, the look and the functions of the woven items are akin to their owner. This is the form my soul takes when woven into armor—though calling it 'forged' is a better fit. If I were eventually able to make a sword, it would take the form imprinted into my soul, my thoughts would have little effect on the shape it takes."

Sebastian looked at Balanos' armor from top to bottom before frowning, "you're telling me that when I wear your armor, it'll look exactly like that?"

"Is there something wrong with it?"

Balanos looked down at her armor and even inspected her armguards.

"It's just that... wouldn't that mean I'd have breast pockets on my breastplate? The cuirass itself is fine though..."

"..." Balanos raised a hand to cover her face—though it was already covered by the helmet.

"The Soul Armor will match the body of the wielder. I'm only lending you my soul's ability, not my armor itself. Though it will still retain the features of my armor, the shape itself will adjust to your body. I'll let you test the armor's abilities on the day we set out to subjugate the threat in the forest. For now, get your gear ready. We're going to have two battles."

"Alright."

It was quite easy to get Sebastian to agree to a battle, he had been doing it every day for the past weeks after all.

...

"Monochrome Flame Thrust!"

Sebastian thrust his newly-repaired spear at Balanos who had unequipped her armor. Compared to her, he was fully-equipped but she wasn't losing in the least. All of his attacks were blocked by plants and vines that didn't seem capable of being burned in the least.

Roots shot out from the ground to wrap around Sebastian's legs but he jumped a few meters in the air to dodge.

"Fireball!"

Sebastian fired three fireballs at Balanos but they exploded in the air before they reached their destination. Balanos had thrown several seeds with pinpoint accuracy at the fireballs. Because they were strong enough to withstand the flames,

Although he was worried about his mother, Martha, and Baritos going outside to check on him, he couldn't hold back against Balanos, not if he wanted to win.

"You made the wrong move by leaping into the air."

Balanos raised her arms and several vines shot out of the floor to grab the falling Sebastian and snared him to the floor.

"That's my win. It took about five minutes for me to corner you. I'll let you rest for a few minutes, then we'll fight once more, this time, with my Soul Armor."

Sebastian wrestled his arms from the loose vines but continued to lay down on the floor.

"If you hadn't held back, then I would've been defeated instantly."

"Naturally, I'm at the level of a Caster at the very least. Though, this body can only exert that much power temporarily. I would say that I'm at the level of a Magus. For our fight, I had limited myself to an Apprentice."

"Then, you're going to limit your output to that of an Apprentice even when you equip the Soul Armor?"

"That's right."

Sebastian raised his body and stretched.

"I'm ready."

"Then, move away for a bit. I don't want you to take more damage before we start."

Unaware of the strength of the Soul Armor, Sebastian nonchalantly walked away to the same distance as he had when Balanos first used it.

"Balanos!"

There it was again. Her voice was accompanied by a loud echoing sound of itself. A flash of light followed by the sound of metal clanking.

"Do you have to shout out your name each time you use it?"

"It's necessary, yes. Maybe someday, I'll be able to equip it silently but right now, this is my limit."

Sebastian swung his spear and got into a stance. The time for conversation was over, he had to get ready. Even though he knew he wouldn't win no matter what, he at least wanted to put up a fight. Balanos would definitely constantly harass and bring up his defeats later.

"Fire a small flame into the sky. When it disperses, our fight starts."

Nodding his head, Sebastian raised his arm with his index and middle finger sticking out. Just like Balanos ordered, he created a flame that looked like it would disperse at any second.

And that it did.

Balanos moved first. The ground she stood on caved in just from the impact of her dash.

"!"

Sebastian managed to react in time and thrust his spear forward. However, Balanos was just way too fast compared to him. She knocked his spear aside and slammed her body into him. The two of them could hear his bones cracking as Sebastian was sent flying and hit the wall.

"Ugh..."

"This is the power of Soul Armor—"

Sebastian couldn't listen to the rest of her explanation as he blacked out before she could finish.