The Harvester

Chapter 256: Chalice of the Crystal Wolf

Rakna ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He leaned back on his seat glanced at Higure who was lazily reading a book whilst her tail waved back and forth. “So, six minutes only, huh? A month in the simulation is about a minute here then?”

“Pretty much. But what kind of Scenario did you get?” She asked. “I’ve heard of Scenarios that last years, if not decades. But that’s for higher-level Hosts. In this case, it should at worst be one or two weeks for you. A month if you stretch it.”

“Well, when I woke up, I was locked up in a dungeon with chains made by gods. I had nine tails on my back. Then I found out I was on the moon; half a year later, some kid came to me saying he was the prince of a kingdom attacked by demons. He freed me; I fought an army. I plotted to revive the Moon and Demon Gods; so, I fought the Sun God who was against it. Then, I returned here.”

“…” The lioness stared at him flatly for about a minute straight. “You won?” She eventually decided to ask and he nodded.

“Yep. I didn’t expect to at first, I only wanted to buy time, but I won.”

“…I see. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

Higure looked back at her book and after a few silent beats, she turned her head fast enough to cause whiplash and threw the book at his face.

“Did you seriously think I was gonna say that?! You reckless fool!”

Rakna hummed as the book slid off his face. “I should have expected that… My mood-reading skills need more polishing. I didn’t even smell your change of emotions in time. How did you do it?”

“Get your priorities straight!”

⠀

* * *

⠀

After spending some time placating the hissing fit of the horny cat, Rakna focused on all the System windows he had missed, “Ceres, if you will.”

[Understood,] she responded and organized the information, showing him his skill level-ups first.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

Mana Control has leveled up!

Mana Sense has leveled up!

Magic Theory has leveled up! 2x

Magic Circle Theory has leveled up!

Magic Formation Theory has leveled up! 3x

Flight has broken through Exceled!

Blacksmithing has broken through Exceled!

Blacksmithing has leveled up! 4x

Hoarfrost Star Magic has leveled up!

Frost Soul Aura has leveled up!

Magical Damage Resistance has leveled up! 2x

Physical Damage Resistance has leveled up! 3x

Dimensional Damage Resistance has broken through Exceled!

Star Flash has Exceled!

Fabled Sight has leveled up! 2x

Artzpul has leveled!

Cross Dimensional Sagacity has broken through Exceled! You can now see, open, and interact with Dimensional Bridges.

Weapon Reinforcement has broken through Exceled!

Weapon-Mastery has Exceled!

CQC has leveled up!

Sloth Magic has Exceled!

⠀

—

⠀

You have learned a new Proficiency; Lunar Control!

Lunar Control has leveled up! 7x

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

“Okay… Ceres, thank you for the trouble but this is a bit too much at once.”

[I apologize. There was… a lot.]

“Yes, I can see that,” Rakna said wryly. “And here I thought reading it in blocks would give me less of a headache… Anyhow, that last one is certainly interesting. Also, it seems I reached Exceled in weapon mastery during my fight with Ramsa… I guess I got a title or two from this as well, right?”

[Indeed,] she affirmed and two windows popped up.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

You have gained a new title; Anti-Divinity!

You have gained a new title; Elysian Pariah!

⠀

—

⠀

Anti-Divinity

⠀

This title is parallel to the Title known as Anti-God. The bearers of it are the nemesis of Celestials and Divinities. While Anti-God simply increases the fighting capabilities of its holder by great margins when facing a being hosting Divine Energy, Anti-Divinity signifies that the holder gains the ability to harm divinity directly.

Their body that is protected from mortal harm will be weakened and their natural ability to ignore mortal spells and weapons will be negated.

⠀

Note: To receive the title of Anti-God, one needs to walk the path of God-Slaying. However, there exist creatures naturally possessing that empowering title; such as the Asuras.

⠀

—

⠀

Elysian Pariah

⠀

It is a title given to those who have forsaken both divinity and impiety. They do not care of Gods or Devils. They live knowing that neither is true, neither is false. They have the ability to ignore Holy and Demonic effects as they will.

The holder of this title will be able to cancel all curses or blessings on their person. They cannot be influenced by the Domains of Divinity. The Elysian Pariah is one that does not follow the rules of the Celestials.

The holder also receives the ability to mold their mana into either Demonic or Holy Mana and cast their spells possessing either of their properties. If both are used at the same time, they become the Mana called Hallowed Blight capable of overcoming all manner of magics at an increased cost.

⠀

—

⠀

Your Sealed Sub Path, Nephilim, grows stronger.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

“Anti-God… Tyran does have that title,” Rakna commented. “It raises his attributes by 100% and his attack and defense by 200%. Quite a boon against any sort of God. But Anti-Divinity is more than enough for me. Not to mention that Elysian Pariah complements it perfectly.”

“{I suppose that’s what happens when you fight and subdue a God,}” Fray remarked.

“Hm, by the way, you mentioned Ramsa was an Earthen God, didn’t you? Is that the same thing I saw on the Divinity Slayer title after fighting Aquila?”

“{Yes, I have been taught that Celestials are ranked like this. It starts with Divinity, which means a first step has been taken into Godhood by awakening their spirituality. Then, the Demi-Gods. It is named as such because it also includes children between Gods and mortal races; they are born at this stage of power. Then, we have Earthen Gods. They begin to detach themselves from reality as we know it. Their body becomes something nearly impenetrable by mortality.}”

“{Above them are the Heavenly Gods. They have fully shed their mortality. Obviously, they can still die at the hands of people with as much strength as them but they are immune to a great range of damage. A Peak Heavenly God wouldn’t even have had their clothes ruffled by you. The last three nominations are called Ancient, Mythical, and Primordial.}”

Fray paused before resuming, “{Ancient Gods are also called Transcendentals as they transcend a certain aspect of the world when reaching that stage. For instance, I have heard that Eternal Night transcended elements. He cannot be hurt by any of the worldly elements, including but not limited to water, earth, fire, and wind; no matter their power. He can also reflect them with higher output back to their senders or consume them to regain mana.}”

“That’s kind of broken… Unfairly so,” Rakna muttered.

“I don’t want to hear that from you,” Higure deadpanned.

“{Well, that aside, after that comes the Mythical Gods,}” Fray continued. “{No one exactly knows if there is a specific benchmark to define them but it is said that Mythical Gods can destroy an entire solar system with just a finger snap.}”

“And let me guess; my old man is a Primordial God?”

“{Indeed, he’s considered one of the most powerful of them all too. At the same time, few others can be said to hold the name of Primordial. Some that come to my mind are Ra-Horakhty, the God of Phoenixes, Slanderer, The Original Devil, and Yahweh, God of All.}”

“Yahweh?” Rakna blinked in shock. “YHWH? Does he actually exist?”

“{Of course, who do you think the Church worships? What is so shocking about that?}”

“Well, we’re talking about the God that’s supposed to be the First and Only. I thought it was wrong considering there are so many others that are real.”

“{What can I say? It is recognized that Yahweh is real. He has made appearances in the past within the System. But no one ever actually saw him. He’s extremely elusive. He probably travels realities at his whim and only came to visit Systema for rarity’s sake.}”

Rakna scowled. “That means… he did something that my old man couldn’t; locate the System.”

Fray hummed. “{Indeed… But I would presume it is because Yahweh is a God with the notion of omniscience in his Domain. Who knows what his raw power is? Many have wondered who would win between Eternal Night and Yahweh. But some also theorized that it would be the end of the world if they ever battled.}”

“No kidding,” the therian jested. “Anyway, thanks for the lesson, I guess. Ceres, you can move on to the skills… Oh wait,” he suddenly remembered something. He opened his Item Box and searched for a certain set of items. When he found it, five Skill Cards with a fancy-looking interrogation mark on each of them materialized in his hand.

“These Random Skill Cards… I forgot to use them before going to the Simulation.”

“Well, I guess even you can get excited enough to forget about something,” Higure said with a wide grin. “Depending on your luck, those might give you something nice. Though, we both know your luck is nothing to doubt.”

Rakna sighed and injected his mana into the cards. “Might as well do it now… Shit, even more stuff to go through now,” he grumbled to himself as the Skill Cards glowed and merged with him. Then, the System prompts sounded and displayed everything to him.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

STR Random Skill Card; you have learned a new skill; Sunken Fist!

END Random Skill Card; you have learned a new skill; Mana Coils!

SPD Random Skill Card; you have learned a new skill; Burst Accel!

DEX Random Skill Card; you have learned a new skill; Rippling Touch!

INT Random Skill Card; you have learned a new skill; Magic Sigil!

⠀

—

⠀

Star Hearth has evolved into Forger of The Stars!

You have learned a new Sub-Spell; Longinus!

You have created a Sub-Skill Tree for Moon Shine of the Nine Moons!

You have gained the Sub-Path Skill; Lunar Ascendant!

You have gained the Sub-Path Skill; Moon Howl!

You have gained the Path Skill; Lunae Cosmos!

You have gained the Path Skill; Valkal of The Reverse Side!

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

“Right…” Rakna mumbled with a flat look. Then, before he could see their descriptions, he felt an odd sensation on his back. He scowled and briefly used Clairvoyance to look at it. At first, he saw nothing but some random lines shining through Allegro’s fabric.

Then, the lines expanded and started forming a pattern. Higure watched curiously as the strokes drew a crimson shape. It looked like a caricature of the Mask of Phobos.

Then, around it, nine obsidian tails emerged, appearing as if they were made of black crystal. And lastly, an unfamiliar image etched itself right under the red mask. This one was cyan and it had the form of an embellished and transparent chalice filled to the brim with white crystalline water.

When the image was fully formed, the multi-colored light faded away and left no trace on Rakna’s clothes. Quickly after, a System window chimed in.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯

⠀

Your Magic Sigil has been inscribed! Chalice of Wishes is reacting!

The Magic Sigil has developed into the Trait; Chalice of the Crystal Wolf!

⠀

—

⠀

Chalice of the Crystal Wolf

⠀

A Magic Sigil is a phenomenon that occurs when mages reach a certain level of proficiency in their craft. It often manifests itself in the form of a tattoo but it can also appear as a symbol in one’s eyes or shade contained within their blood.

A sigil is a way for mages to deepen their connection with the World and cast magic more efficiently. In simpler terms, a sigil is akin to a constant incantation. That is why complex spells can be cast with it without necessarily needing chants or lengthy charging durations.

Due to the Host’s unique circumstances, the Magic Sigil has mutated into a ‘Chalice’. It is a theoretic kind of sigil also called ‘Vessel of Life’. It has all the functions of a regular sigil but with improved effects. This sigil is also dynamic. The content of the Chalice portrayed by the tattoo represents how much mana the Host has left and will change accordingly.

This Chalice’s ‘root’ belongs to the one known as the Sage of The Crystal Mountain and has been inherited by Rakna Xiorra Blade. It grants a reduction in mana consumption, weakens the toll of magic on the body, accelerates casting, and most importantly, serves as the catalyst that will collect payments and turn them into wishes.

You are now able to actively grant wishes.

⠀

Statistical Effects: -10% Mana Consumption & -10% to Cooldowns.

⠀

—

⠀

You have fulfilled the first condition to awaken your Kzanaria!

Note: The second condition surpasses the encoding capabilities and is unknown. No information can be given to the Host by the System.

⠀

❮ ◈ ❯