Skill Refinement

Their were many types of weapons in the Myriad Realms. All that had significance to their users.

When Adam held the hammer and was engulfed by the imaginary flames of the volcanic furnace, he was able to see many things. His knowledge in smithing temporarily expanding to an infinite state.

Many scenes flashed through his eyes one by one.

In one disconnected frame, there was the image of the hero named 'Simon Rainglow'. On his head were two horns glowing with magical power, while on his hand and above his head were two halos.

These were the manifestations of one's most defining features, similar to that of a Semblance.

They was also the template Hephaestus Terran used to create 'Spirit Essences' for Gaia Humans.

Also known as 'Skill Roots'.

Adam saw with his own eyes how Simon created the origin of a future skill tree on his own, similar to that of the next scene. In the new frame, there was the image of a burning town filled with zombies.

Those who had been swallowed by an body altering addiction after having taken 'Devil Dust'.

The person being focused on in that scene was a magician known as 'Sebastian Pegasus'. He was wielding a 'Majin Medallion' to transform into a rampaging monster that defined his emotions.

Throwing away ideals to do what he truly desired.

The last significant scene among the many frames was that of a man who didn't 'smith' his sword.

Instead, the Harem King 'Kang Hyuk' refined his blade throughout his lifetime. Reforming it and taking absolute care of his weapon. Nurturing the sword until it had become a part of his own body.

Some defined themselves by who they were.

Others redefined themselves by putting on a mask.

And some found themselves through living life.

Their footprints being the mark of who they were.

This was just their way of life…

When Adam opened his eyes, he saw himself in the foggy wasteland that was once his Sea of Consciousness. Of course, this knowledge wasn't something he was privy to. He only knew one thing:

'This is my dreamworld.' He knew his own personal consciousness as an individual delved deep inside.

Around him were the Skills and weapons he'd accumulated over his lifetime. All of them there.

Even the new one he had picked up…

[Light Class: Sword Warrior

— Class Skill: Sword Talent

— Class Skill: Slash Sharpening]

The second Class specific Skill seemed to be an auxiliary technique that honed one's cutting power.

'Inspection' was still at play…

In the misty consciousness world, the unsavoury capitalist could see his status screen in fragments.

But his Skills were all still there.

Only scattered around without having fully been ordered into a list. Like stars in this foggy world.

On one side was his Lumina Sword, along with an empty patch in the fog that was his first Innate Semblance. The 'Empty' Gift Slot manifested as a literal empty space in the grey, mist-like dream.

On the other side was his Solaris Sword, as well as the apartment complex that became his 'House'.

The yellow glowing building also stood out…

The only thing that seemed new was the ball of stones that was hovering before his body silently.

This was the representation of the Gaia's imaginary soul that had possessed him for quite some time.

An 'Imaginary Attribute' he hadn't ever used…

"Alright… Those who still want to make me their host can come out. I'm not taking any more after this." Even though this was in his own body, he had already knew unrestricted Imaginary Spirits were.

As long as one could think of them, they existed.

The 'System' that Gaia implanted into all ascenders and residents of her realm was a communication terminal to them. Nothing could truly stop a possession from such spirits if they were accepted.

['First Human To Ever Exist' is looking at you.]

[The lost zodiac constellation is looking at you.]

A sigil of snake head appeared next to the ball of stones, and the silhouette of a human on the other.

He could guess who the first one was…

"You're Adam… As in, the first human to ever be created by God. Whether that be Greek, Christian, or otherwise." The moment he spoke these words and interpreted the spirit, the figure was cleared.

The blurry silhouette became a handsome man with only a big leaf stopping his junk being naked.

The man was seemingly munching on an apple.

[Adam: "You got my True Name in one try."]

"There aren't many who don't know of you, but…" A strange look appeared when he turned to the sigil.

This was his first time seeing this 'constellation'…

[The constellation that was forgotten by history is revealing its modifier and true name to its host.]

['Serpentarius' is revealed to you.]

The snake head sigil transformed into a half human, half snake entity. It was like the Sagittarius.

The only difference being a serpent for a horse…

['Serpentarius' revealed its True Name: 'Python'.]

The half snake, half human visage turned into the snake of legends. One known for two things.

The first was being the child of Gaia, while the latter was dying at the hands of a Greek God.

The nasty arrow wounds of Apollo were sticking out of its back, but its eyes seemed friendly to him.

The intimacy was quite strange…

[Adam: "So… do you agree to be my host? There are a lot with the same name, but not like you."]

"Alright. Agreed." When he nodded, the handsome naked man eating an apple transformed into clay.

The same one 'Adam' was apparently moulded from in his myth. A good starting point for him.

This let the landowner focus on the giant snake.

He could feel that unlike the Cat Zodiac or the other 13 western zodiacs, Python wasn't interested in Ascenders. In fact, he would've stayed 'lost' if it wasn't for the high compatibility Adam had with it.

Thanks to being both an Imaginary Spirit and a constellation, it seemed to have a Unique Skill to give him. When he accepted its power, the Skill fused with his Growth Characteristics and altered.

A sigil appeared on the hand that was holding the hammer, and he felt his intimacy with the fog around him became finer. It felt like this wasteland where an ocean dried up under him was his own.

[A new Unique Skill is being formed.]

['Python' is transferring to you the Unique Skill by the name of 'Universal Digestion'. All can be eaten.]

[Finding your Growth Characterist-] *Crash!*

Before it could proceed, Adam used the hammer in his hand to destroy the system messages himself.

He knew of this type of 'alchemy process'.

Usually, the Unique Skill given by a constellation would fuse into the ones the user already owned.

Thus, turning into a random Unique Skill like Sebastian's personal 'Observer Effect of Death Inconsistency'. Although this was a good power, a randomised element defeated the point of all this.

He was trying to become a new person now.

There needed to be a deliberate step forward in the right direction. Not some gamble on getting a Skill.

And so, he looked at this ability transferred…

'Universal Digestion' was just as the name entailed.

Adam shifted his gaze to the snake that had curled up into a ball next to the clay, and at his own hand.

This ability was the Unique to devour poisons, Mana, Ether, or any materials existing in the world.

Nothing couldn't be digested by the Python.

This likely had nothing to do with its myth, and was more an ability from being a constellation itself.

Judging from the way a high tier Imaginary Spirit like 'The First Human To Exist' didn't give him a Unique Skill itself, he realised this was a good opportunity. Accepting Python was a great choice.

['Universal Digestion' (Exclusive)]

He placed the Skill in front of him and reacted towards his own eyes, then pulled out another.

['Inspection' (Myth)]

One was a Unique Skill, and the other was a Myth Tier Personal Skill that he'd always been relying on.

After overlaying the two screens together, he created a new power by hammering them together.

*Clang!*

With the effects of the hammer and imaginary flames surrounding it, the two screens were fused.

'Inspection' and 'Universal Digestion' combined…

…and the resulting Skill was beyond his expectation. This would be his new primary Skill.

[You have created the Unique Skill: 'The Eyes Digest All Things'. Will you like to continue?]

Adam looked at his other Skills and tried to not use any incompatible with the end result he desired.

He needed to make sure the Skill wouldn't overload his brain with information next, and also be able to sort out the useful information with the useless data. It made him come to an unexpected choice.

He lifted a different Skill into his hand…

'Will this really work?' The unused Skill seemingly wasn't that great, but he had this strange thought.

That consistency was better than high grades…

Thus, the landowner overlaid a different type of skill onto it. One that always had great use for him.

['Administrative Experience' (Common)]

He slammed the hammer down, and the eyes that could digest all information now had a new form.

[The Extra Skill 'Subspace Inventory' has been added to your 'The Eyes Digest All Things'.]

[Your affinity with space has become clearer.]

He put another Skill into the mix just because the two were already mutually linked to one another.

['Modern Education' (Common)]

*Clang!*

[The Extra Skill 'Consumable Bloodline Limit Slot' has been added. You can create one extra ability depending on things digest. The 'Slot' will use up materials from inventory each time it is used.]

'Wow… This is kinda fun~' Seeing the Skill evolve was quite an exhilarating and rare feeling to him.

Now… he could add new functions to it, right?

Adam looked at the 'Father Nature' Unique Skill…

*Clang!*

[You have added two new Extra Skills.]

[The Extra Skill 'Spirit Manipulator' was added. It can allow you to digest skills of the imaginary.]

[The Extra Skill 'Ether Seer' has been added. It is now possible to see all external energies clearly.]

[Your affinity with Yin had become more defined.]

[Your affinity with Wood has become clearer.]

['The Eyes Digest All Things' had altered and evolved into the 'Deep Eyes Digest All Things'.]

Just as he was about to recklessly add more skills into the mix, Adam quickly stopped his own arm.

He needed to be smart about this…

Having one bloated Skill might be more of a crutch than a blessing. If sealed, he'd lose all his powers.

Thus, Adam needed to create one particular Skill to make sure that didn't happen. It was a bit different.

The current 'Deep Eyes Digest All Things' was a great tool for information gathering and taking in powers, but it wasn't a thing he could 'cultivate'. A personal Origin Skill that could infuse into himself.

To create a source of power, he needed to start off with something that was his greatest strength.

Thus, the base foundation of the new Skill became:

[Dawn Sapient Divine Physique (Exclusive)]

Just by having it in front of him, he could feel the special connection it had towards the 'Black Wand'.

And now, even the 'White Sword' added into the mix, which gave a foreign feeling of Light Mana.

A strength that wasn't truly his own…

The connection it had with the Adamanthea Mask, Lumina Sword, and Solaris Sword were also high.

Thus, he chose to weld the 'Spirit Essences' first.

*Clang!*

With a might strike of his hammer, the Black Wand and White Sword were broken into material parts.

He discarded the Classes of 'Warrior' and 'Mage'.

As their forms were breaking, Adam grabbed the Skills of 'Dark Aeon Shadow Physiology' and 'World Unity' and struck them both torture. This was to create the base of a new form his body would take.

[You have created the 'Shadowspace Aeon Unity Physiology'. A new source of power is found.]

Underneath his feet opened a portal to the Shadow Dimension. A place of all existing Portable Spaces.

Those who accessed the Shadow Dimension were usually those who could use Dark Mana, but even that was just a small 'connection'. They couldn't get any power existing in that world for themselves.

Unlike Adam…

Maybe throwing away his 'World Unity' for an infinite power source wasn't the best option, but it gave him an idea. Even now, he could still sense endless power of darkness flooding his body.

So…

*Clang!*

[You have infused 'Territory License' with 'Holy Descendant'. You have lost the Holy Affinity.]

[The creation of the 'Territorial Authority' has been created. You can now access all Ether perceived.]

Combining this with the new 'Ether Seer' Extra Skill of 'Deep Eyes Digest All Things', he was able to create portal inside him that connected to the outside world. He mainly focused on gathering enough Light Mana to balance out the Dark Mana.

The two sides of his Gift Slots, 'Empty' and 'House' were flooded with an energy of great proportions.

His consciousness couldn't take it…!

There was too much magical energy flowing in, so he needed to control the Mana before he explodes!

Using 'Parallel Consciousness' he was able to duplicate his deep eyes a hundredfold and digest the power into them, but this wasn't enough. He needed to upgrade the Skill to improve its power.

[Astralisation (Legendary)]

He placed the last legendary tier Skill into having the power of self-management, then was about to add 'Mana Sense' and 'Magic Talent' into it if this wasn't enough. He had to see the results first.

*Clang!*

The two skills were reacting to each other's presence normally. Fusing together pretty easily.

Except… a strange reaction occurred inside of him.

His increased level of focus after fusing the two skills was working, but another thing made him almost fall over. The Solaris Sword, Lumina Sword, and Adamanthea Mask hovered closer to his body.

["S-stop…! Stop! STOP!!!"] The desperate voice that sounded like his own was filling his head.

His spiritual consciousness connected to his weapons on a level much deeper than before.

Adam started to see visions of a forgotten past…