Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The group of three approached Genhuis City gates before the sun even contemplated to follow its routine dip into the horizon.r

It had been quite the long and chatty journey for Skullius and as he felt the city grow near, he was a little relieved. Finally, perhaps he'd get to leave this mostly unwanted company soon. He had a lot of things to do and confirm after all.r

Besides that, he was really getting uncomfortable because of two additional members to their group that kept speaking in muffled voices that only he could hear. r

Viccil and Sevill's swords.r

With [Unmatched Sword Sense], Skullius had started to hear these two weapons which were at the Mythical grade level speak from time to time, distracting him immensely. They weren't fluent in their speaking or even coherent but they did. Since Skullius didn't talk to them, they were oblivious to the fact that they could be heard, which honestly made for a freaky experience.r

This unusual ability wasn't the limit of [Unmatched Sword Sense] though, surprisingly.r

~~~r

[Unmatched Sword Sense (Special) | Lv.40]r

You attain a passive extreme understanding of any sword. How to wield it, how to care for it, how to hear its LIVING SOUL and how to swing it. In addition, you gain the active ability to bring out 200% of any sword's potential, even if its durability is gone.r

Mana Requirements: 1000 (I) Mana Points, 100 (I) Mana Points every minuter

Durability: ---r

Cooldown: Noner

~~~r

The fact that these weapons could speak meant that they weren't forged in a normal way – they didn't have a normal history – but weren't special enough to be on the same level as the Bashful Abomination, shockingly, even though their grade was higher.r

The fact that Skullius owned two extraordinary swords whose traits went above the norm and tickled upon the level these ones were brought no small amount of anxiety to Skullius. r

Was his luck truly standing for this?r

"We're going to have to split up here," Darwel suddenly said while turning to Skullius. "I can't let people know I was out of the city."r

Skullius wore a solemn look.r

"Is this how you usually are back home?" he asked.r

"I wish," the El Sif replied with a cheeky smile, her twinkling eyes going on to stare at the Hybrid Luman as if looking for something hidden within his white sclera.r

She then summoned a rolled up piece of parchment and gave it to Skullius who handled it with unsureness.r

"What is this?" he asked.r

"Since our brainstorming may and may not help with getting you to find out how to find your true form, I wrote down everything I know about Luminants and Elf Sif by extension. Some of it, at least," she said.r

"Some of it?"r

"If I give you everything I know, you'll probably start trying to run away from me again. I might as well keep the rest as a bargaining chip."r

"Thats underhanded."r

"Is it? Is it, really?" Darwel asked while getting a bit too close to Skullius who drew away. "I'd be willing to give you all the information you need if you make visits to my quarters VOLUNTARILY, you know?"r

"That phrasing sounds... wrong," Skullius pointed out.r

"It's perfect as it is," Darwel defended herself with the swish of her cherry hair aside. "But I know you probably want to avoid me, hahaha."r

"I'm trying to escape the attention."r

"But Lord Luminant, we can protect you from any danger on this continent. Please trust in us," Sevill said sincerely, prompting the Hybrid Luman to turn to her.r

'Protect me? I don't think anyone in this world can,' Skullius thought.r

"For now, I'd feel better off if we limited contact. This world is every bit as dangerous as what you consider to be your greatest threats."r

With that, Skullius didn't look to want to continue having this constant persuasion fest. The three understood it and let go of the matter.r

Even though none of them had mentioned it, Skullius had grown by a massive degree since the last time they had met. It was hard to believe that he was the same individual from a month ago really.r

This is what put Darwel, Sevill and Viccil at mild ease and also confirmed that despite being part human, Skullius was definitely a Luminant.r

"Fine, but if you are in trouble, don't hesitate to call us. We'll help out within anything you want," Darwel said as she took steps back, Viccil and Sevill doing the same with bows of respect.r

In the next moment, the three disappeared into thin air.r

Phewww.r

Skullius took a deep breath.r

Finally. r

Some silence.r

*r

It didn't take the Hybrid Luman long to enter the city. With his sporadic goings in and out of the city, he had grown to become well-known at the gate by the different shifts and his high rank as a mercenary gave him more leeway than before. r

Still, he remained a more vaguely recognised figure as what he did when he went out remained a mystery to most.r

As soon as he stepped into the city, Skullius coated his body with a layer of Null Life Essence.r

With some tutelage from Red Rage, his control over Null Life Essence had improved, but it was still nowhere near his proficiency in mana, thus he didn't rely on it for combat.r

Because of the Null beast he had summoned back in the Fire Breeder Cluster, he knew that Null Life Essence could be used for defence but he was still lacking in this. He had only increased his mastery to be able to adhere to what Red Rage had surmised – that Null Life Essence deterred Divination.r

Since no one else could see it, Skullius wore a layer of it openly when entering Genhuis City to guard against the prying of the seven Diviners. He hoped there was actually some effect to it.r

While heading home and thinking that he would submit the carcasses and evidence for his excursion to the Guilds Association later, Skullius checked his status to familiarise himself again with everything he had earned.r

~~~r

[ Name : Festos Dawn ]r

[ Level : 18 ]r

[ EXP : 100,565/741,150 ; <Task Pending> ]r

[ Core : Blue ]r

[ Class : Insurgent Magnus ]r

[ Race : Hybrid Luman ]r

[ Inv. Status : Still doomed ×2 ]r

-------r

[ Stats ]r

[ STRENGTH (I) : 28,970 ]r

[ AGILITY (I) : 28,762 ]r

[ INTELLIGENCE (I) : 42,851 ]r

[ ENDURANCE (I) : 28,968 ]r

[ LUCK : Atrocious? ]r

-----r

[ HEALTH : 70,995/70,995 ]r

-----r

[ MANA (I) : 103,200 ]r

-----r

[ Null Life Essence : 12,000/12,000 ]r

------r

[ Skills ]r

[ Greatest Mana Crafter | Lv.89 ]r

[ Great Celestial Counterfeit | Lv.1 ]r

[ Celestial Hack | None ]r

[ Revenant Flames of Ecstasy | Lv.19 ]r

[ Null Extraction ]r

[ Static Limbo ]r

[ Null Life Aura | Lv.8 ]r

[ Graceless Hunter (Special) | Lv.4 ]r

[ Instant Blaze Charge (Special) | Lv.28 ]r

[ Bombardier Bangster Fist Art (Special) | Lv.34 ]r

[ Greatest Mana Attraction | Lv.15 ]r

[ Elite Combat Arts (Special) | Lv.5 ]r

[ Elite Swordplay (Special) | Lv.2 ]r

[ Parting Wave | Lv.9 ]r

[ Primal Caution (Special) | Lv.22 ]r

[ Undaunted Calamity (Special) | Lv.23 ]r

[ Beyond the Hype | None ]r

[ Swindling Death Dance (Incomplete) ]r

[ Ghost Rending Divine Sword Art (Special) | Lv.45 ]r

[ Swordmaster's Quiescence (Special) | Lv.30 ]r

[ Unmatched Sword Sense (Special) | Lv.40 ]r

[ Lesser Gravel Rune Mastery (Special) | Lv.20 ]r

[ Rune Assimilation (Special) | Lv.10 ]r

[ Advanced Potion Making (Special) | Lv.12 ]r

[<Class>]r

[ Evil Darkness Meshing (Special) | Lv.50 ]r

[ Evil Darkness Creation (Special) | Lv.43 ]r

[ Immoral Authority (Special) | Lv.10 ]r

[ Just Light Creation (Special) | Lv.67 ]r

[ Just Light Meshing (Special) | Lv.49 ]r

[ Boundless Evil (Special) | Lv.25 ]r

[ Saint Lumis' Benign Arc (Special) | Lv.11 ]r

[ Destined Warp Steps (Special) | Lv.55 ]r

[ Crude World Projection ]r

[ Seramoro, Oblivion's Edge ]r

[ Bead of Malevolence | Lv.10 (Max) ]r

[ Perfect Night Domain | Lv.7 ]r

[ Wing of the Just ]r

[<Racial>]r

[ Son of Luserus (Special) | Lv.1 ]r

[<Arts>]r

[ Pseudo Evil Veneration (1%) ]r

[<Oddities>]r

[ Binds of Fukal ]r

[ Fruit of World Myths ]r

[ Omniscient Thought Cracker ]r

----r

[<Affinities>]r

[ Evil Darkness - B ]r

[ Just Light - D ]r

[ Distorted Gravity ]r

~~~r

Looking at the long list of skills brought a smile to Skullius' face. This was the definitive arsenal that he wanted to keep as it wasn't riddled with meaningless and useless abilities any longer. With the addition of the skills he had just gotten from the two Cluster Generals, the Hybrid Luman felt that discovering how to fuse skills was probably one of the best things he had learned to do.r

With these skills that all had purpose, he felt more... intact.r

The only downside he could think of was the fact the stronger skills were claimed by his Insurgent Magnus powers that were starting to be more active. Abilities like [Boundless Evil], [Destined Warp Steps] and the likes were now included as Class skills instead of normal ones, meaning that they stronger but couldn't be accessed in his Penetrator form.r

Slowly, his two forms were growing more and more apart.r

'Hmmm. I'm getting closer and closer to the Second Trial. Only two more levels left and I'll be entering the Master Stage,' Skullius thought, remembering the gruelling Tasks he had received from Level 11 up till now.r

They were all related to his Class and they got progressive harder, which was why his [Evil Darkness] and [Just Light] abilities had grown so quickly. He had been forced to level them up with constant use.r

That said, with a bit of research though, the Hybrid Luman had found out something unnerving. Something that reminded him that his existence was truly... odd.r

Apparently, Tasks continued to vary for everyone else. While they did get specialised as one got stronger, they still had a wide range. For Skullius, he found that the variety only got more and more stunted, which led him to ask himself...r

Where were these Tasks really coming from?r

Everyone else received Tasks from the Deities but Skullius... since he couldn't be blessed by these gods had to have a different being behind him, creating these Tasks for him.r

At first he thought it was VOW bro, but his line of thinking shifted.r

'It's probably Fulgardt. A peace of his will is attached to me and the Class I got when I received his legacy. When I got stronger last time, the guidance field showed me that this will gives me a bit more of his powers with each major leap I get in strength. The bro reached Divinity and with how his corpse moved on its own in the Labyrinth of the Yoke... he's probably not dead in the mortal sense...' r

This was how Skullius viewed it.r

It wasn't something amusing to think about by any means but it was best to attach his mind to this theory. It kept him vigilant.r

In any case, Skullius was happy about the gains. He couldn't wait to experiment with the large cauldron and the Bashful Abomination.r

His growth still reflected even now as every time he met someone with a sword, he felt a light ringing from it that singed vague emotion and thought, all of which was blasted towards his mind.r

This simple fact made the Hybrid Luman quicken his pace to the Bryne Family Residence.r

On arriving he found Daggs sitting on the couch and enjoying his tea.r

As soon as the attendant saw him, he shot up from his seat to greet him respectfully but Skullius quickly stopped him in his speedy tracks.r

"Don't be so jumpy."r

"Ah... right. Welcome back, Sir Festos," Daggs said shakily with a horrible smile.r

"It's good to be back," Skullius replied. "Where's Stylla?"r

Daggs' nervous smile turned into a grim one, his face turning to a more sombre shade.r

Skullius instantly understood from the drop in the attendant's enthusiasm.r