∼ State of Mind ∼

Chapter - 103

Laying against a half-shattered pile of rocks that had once been a mighty golem, Nyx panted, looking worse for wear. The moment he dispelled [Embody], all the strength and vigor he had gained fled from his body, the rapid changes back to his previous form doing so with little finesse or care for his well-being. He was mana-exhausted and his body had been pushed to its limits. And now he was suffering the consequences.

At the very least, he had gotten something out of the whole ordeal other than a test run of his new body. However, once the demon finally took a moment to look at the prompt, the experience gained to be exact, Nyx frowned. One level? Just one? Sure, the fight hadn't exactly been a life-and-death situation for the demon. He could've retreated at any time. Regardless, he had still probably put more effort into killing this thing than he had anything previous.

But one measly level was all he got? He sighed.

Aria had warned him of this. Achieving the next tier of evolution - or rank of class - would see the experience needed to advance to each new level increase manyfold. It was just something he didn't want to face. Rapacious for power as the demon was. Admittedly though, megalomaniac tendencies were common for most demons.

Aria's teachings were a sobering thought to the afterglow of his victory. But ultimately, he reasoned that if truly was that easy - then wouldn't everybody be powerful? If he were to pull ahead of the rabble, wouldn't he merely have to show them the perseverance of the great red?

Nyx got his feet despite the exhaustion, determination flaring in his eyes.

Experience hadn't been the only thing he had fought for this time around. There was one more thing, and it didn't take long for the mana-sensitive demon to locate it. Standing atop the golem's rocky corpse, arms deep in the rubble, he retrieved an orb. It was perfectly circular.

Nyx's eyes glinted with greed as he stared into the core's earthen luster, swirling with silvery-brown mana. Its mere touch made his fingers tingly and sent delightful shocks of static mana into his body. Of course, touching a mana-core directly would be a death sentence to most - even for some weaker mages. However, Nyx was a monster of magic. His whole body was suffused with mana. The only foreign element to this mana was the earth-affinity it was tinged with - but even that did not dissuade his touch.

Arcane-affinity, Earth-affinity, Demonic-affinity, all mana in the world was suffused with an affinity. Only the veins that permeated the world with the magical energy had pure, raw, mana. Change itself. What power only the elder god, D'aalat - chaos god of magic, knowledge, and the unsound - can wield.

Sliding back down into his spot, groaning as the movement caused one too many wounds to protest, Nyx took a few deep breaths before closing his eyes in concentration. Holding the core in his lap, feeling the warmth of mana and the solidity of rock within, Nyx found himself entering his meditative state faster than ever.

All he had to do now was to replenish his stores and recover whatever damage he had done to his channels.

The hours flew by as Nyx was consumed in his work. No longer did the thoughts of idle wandering even pester his mind. Meditation had become a sort of... safe place. Where the young demon could simply think and explore his new mind.

Before Nyx realized it, he was all done, mana pools filled to the brim and his channels as strong as ever. Yet, he did not exit this state. Rather, he had lost himself in the ponderings of a certain problem he had been facing. Ever since achieving the linkage between his mind and core, and his manifestation with it, meditating and trying to expand his core had been like cramming energy through a narrow funnel. As a result of his mind being on the cusp of its second state, it was actually bottlenecked with his core because one was greater than the other.

The was something that had to be fixed...

His body moved as if on its own accord, his focus entirely preoccupied with the ongoings of his inner self. He lifted the mana core to his lips, opening wide. The core was slightly big, fist-sized. However, as Nyx barely managed to even lodge it in between his teeth, his own core began to draw on the orb as if a hungry beast trying to devour its prey.

The earth core who had none to protect or host stood little chance in the face of his. As an earthen aura began spuming out of the core, rushing down his throat and filling it with burning hot agony as mana tinged with a foreign affinity streamed into his body, Nyx's body tightened. Veins bulging along his taut body and capillaries popping in his eyes, Nyx's fought a battle to cleanse the mana.

The strain put on his body was so great that his jaws managed to crack the core in his mouth - and then all abyss broke loose.

Unfiltered earth mana surged out of the core, no longer a trickle, assaulting Nyx's entire being.

But the demon was no ordinary being. And he had been prepared. The mark across his eye flared with indignant hubris, quenching the wave of mana with arrogance alone. As if with fire that had taken a life on its own, it closed the mana, forcing it into his core that was filled to the brim already. His core had no choice but to expand.

A shudder ran through Nyx when his core suddenly cracked. But he did not fret - for this was not a bad thing. As opposed to the earth core turning into ethereal mana upon its rapid dissimilation, the cracks on his core showed a glowing radiant light beneath. One of demonic mana. Flaky layer by layer, it was burned away to reveal a larger, shinier orb within. He had done it.

[Congratulations, your Demon Core has reached its Second-Stage]

[+15 Mana]

But... it was not over.

[Warning]

∼Instability in mana reservoir fusion∼

Second-Stage Demon Core incompatible with First-State Mind's Sea.

[Mind's Sea expansion forcefully initiated]

His mind! The evolution of his core had unintentionally triggered the transformation of his mind's state to recreate an equilibrium. At first glance, this was a great thing. For quite a while now, he's been having trouble getting over the last hurdle he needed to transform the state of his mind's sea. Except, he was greatly weakened now... in no state to undergo such fundamental changes. This was literally ripping his insides apart, both the tangible and intangible.

As a result of his new core greedily sucking in mana to fuel itself through his mind without any failsafe or filter, a maelstrom of mana had formed around him. His core was ravenous with reckless abandon. This was... bad. Channels already frayed, the pain became unbearable. Nevertheless, Nyx held firm. Because he knew; that if he didn't, he'd be dead...

As drastic times calls for drastic measures, Nyx did something Aria had warned of. Nyx entered deep - into his manifestation. In a projection of his body within his inner self, Nyx found himself submerged in a roiling sea. Gone was the plain of red-tinged blue grass. He had to fight to stay above the crashing waves as if multiple different seas were crashing against one another. One of his own demonic mana. One of earth mana. And one of chaotic mana drawn from all his surroundings.

It was a struggle merely to project himself in here, but he still tried something he had never done. Aria had mentioned it being a possibility, something only the most adept of mages who have achieved their manifestation was capable of. He opened his eyes.

Instantly, blood began flowing from his nose, ears, and eyes, bloodshot as the strain upon his body and mind was too great. His mind had split in two, simultaneously projected within his manifestation and outside in the real world. This was a feat known only to the greats. But Nyx had accomplished it by sheer hubris and will to live.

The young demon did not hesitate as he knew he was not long for this world in this state.

He began drawing in the ground, his nail carving into the very stone. Byt even as his hands shook, he managed to flawlessly carve out the runes. For his life depended on it.

It was the first time he had ever attempted to create a spell from the elusive language of the [Word of Power]. For a good reason too. Just one misstep and he'd blow both himself and everything in his surroundings to kingdom come. Though, that wasn't actually that far from his goal...

As he carved rune after rune, words in an ancient language written by the god of chaos himself, Nyx finally lifted his hand, fingers dripping with blood. He had nearly passed out, blood running in rivulets down his body from every orifice, looking less the pretty picture he now did as a Vainlord.

He could only hope he hadn't made any mistakes as he diverted all the mana his mind was funneling - to the spell. Lighting up with mana, the runes glowed brighter and brighter. The strain was great. But so was his will. Nyx endured. Until, it was complete...

In a vacuum of mana, a bloodied Nyx swayed, barely able to sit upright as he stared at the glowing dome of mixed manas encasing him, sparking against one another with conflicting affinities. It was beautiful. Or it would've been, if not for Nyx knowing the absolute horror of how much power was within.

Lifting a shaking hand he hesitated. May the teachings of his mentor favor him just this time. He really hoped he hadn't screwed this up... Nyx then pressed it against the dome, a glowing rune meeting his hand before everything went white.