"You're lucky to have survived this" the doctor began while still examining me.
[PFFT. ALL AT WAS DUE TO MY REGENRATION ABILITY]
Boy was he so rude.
[YOU KNOW I CAN READ YOUR THOUGHTS, RIGHT?]
I don't care dummy.
"Well, you'll continue to be under observation for the time being" the doctor continued. Well, I could get a day or two of rest then.
[YOU'RE LITERALLY FIT ENOUGH TO GO FIGHT A BATTLE NOW YOU LAZY THING]
Hey I couldn't be blamed. I had the most traumatic experience of my life in that city and yet you don't want me to rest? Wickedness if you ask me. Well, I literally have your powers so no need for me to do anything. Just kick back and enjoy.
[YEAH, ABOUT THAT. YOU CAN'T]
What do you mean by "you can't"!!!!
[LAST I CHECKED IT MEANS WHAT IT MEANS]
Yeah, I kind of know that. What do you mean I can't use your powers?!!!
[WELL, TO BE SPECIFIC, YOU CAN USE MY POWERS BUT A LITTLE PERCENTAGE]
How little you cheat!
[HEY I DIDN'T CHEAT YOU, OKAY? AND YOU CAN ONLY USE ABOUT 8% OF THE POWER]
Well, I guess it's something. So, tell me how do I gain full access to it
[WELL, THAT'S EASY. YOU NEED TO DIE AND BE REBORN AS A SOUL EMBODIMENT]
Ok that's easy I gue- wait DIE???
[YEAH. YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE OUR KIND. WELL, LET'S PUT THAT ASIDE FOR NOW IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IMMEDIATE}
Ok…. It's hard to think about dying to become powerful you know. I want power yes but at the cost of dying? How do I know it's a sure method by the way
[IT IS SURE. WE'LL BE DOING THE EMBODIMENT AT THE POINT JUST IN CASE YOUR SOUL DECIDES TO TRY PERISH AND THERE'S A CATCH]
Ok…
[YOU'LL START GETTING HUNGRY FOR SOULS, AND SINCE WE'RE A CULMINATION A CULMINATION OF PACKS, YOU'LL NEED TO CHALLENGE THE POINT FOR RICHER SOULS]
Wait I thought due to you not being manifested and inside me you won't, I won't need souls
[YEAH, THAT'S WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS, BUT DUE TO YOUR DESIRE FOR POWER, YOUR NEED FOR SOUL INTAKE INCREASES. SO, IT IS JUST A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP]
Sounds fair. But the part of dying still doesn't seat with me.
[I MEAN YOU WANT TO GET STRONGER RIGHT? SO, YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO PAY THIS LITTLE PRICE]
After three days, I got discharged. I went round to check after Luke and Stacy, Luke especially since he had broken bones which directly appeared from nowhere. I'm having a feeling the injuries came from Stacy but I mean, she can't be that mean right?
Turns out my feeling was right sadly. After Stacy had awoken from being knocked out by yours truly, she took her anger on Luke and awarded him broken bones and two weeks at the hospital. Scary
After checking on Luke, I went to the scary lady.
"Hey Stacy" I said opening the door of the hospital room. "You in there?".
"DAN!!!!!" she rushed and jumped on me. right after I received a right hand to my gut. Yup expected that sooner or later. "You had me worried" she said with a voice that hinted sadness. She could be cute at times and this was one of those times.
[WELL, SHE IS CUTE, I CAN'T BLAME YOU FOR WANTING TO PROTECT HER]
"Oh, shut up" I mistakenly said out loud. I looked at Stacy and she started moving away from me.
"I'm sorry. I was just worried; it won't happen again" she said softly. She looked like she was about to cry and I had to do something about that
"W-Wait Stacy. I wasn't referring to you, don't be like that" I couldn't tell her about the Ort in me
"Well, there is no one else in the room with us here, so you're clearly referring to me. Can't believe I got all worried just to be shunned rudely for my care. I'm sorry for caring" she said angrily and began to walk towards the door. Chances were if I left her to walk out of the room we would never speak again. And I had to stop that.
[YOU CAN DO THIS. I BELIEVE IN YOU DAN]
You know you're the cause of this right?
Before she could leave the room, I grabbed her and hugged her from behind
"I'm sorry Stacy, sorry that I was rude to you. Please just…. Don't leave me. Please" I began with a full apologetic heart. Since I was the cause of this, I was going to fix it. Anyway necessary.
"Don't apologize, I too should've known it might have been a mistake. "I-I'm sorry f-for my o-outburst" she said and tears had started. She embraced me and we spent most of the day together. Maybe this wasn't too bad after all.
Morning came, I did my made-up training and now it was time to test the limits of the power of the Ort in me.
After this I was going to begin embodying it.
[SO, MOST OF MY ABILITIES ARE OFF ACCESS FOR YOU. BUT YOU CAN STILL SENSE SOULS ON A LIMITED SCALE AND THE AURA THOUGH NOT PASSIVE CAN BE APPLIED, AND YES YOU CAN EMPLOY SOUL AFFECTING EFFECTS TO YOUR WEAPONS AND EVEN YOUR OWN ATTACKS. WHEN WE FINALLY BECOME TOGETHER FULLY ALL THIS WILL BE PASSIVE]
Yeah, I've gotten the groundwork of it. I can't use all the abilities and even the abilities I can use are limited. Got it
But there is one issue. No one around to test my attacks. So, it is all for null. I can't attack fellow humans and I certainly can't go on an expedition alone without permission. So, its sadly a waste.
[AND THAT IS WHERE YOU GET IT WRONG HAHA. YOU HUMANS THINK SOULS ARE ONLY LIMITED TO YOURSELF. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS THAT SOULS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL LIFE. EVERY BEING POSSES A SOUL, EVEN THE TRESS AND GRASS AROUND THEY ALL POSSES A SOUL. IT'S JUST LIKE MANA. EVIDENT IN ALL LIFE]
Ooh makes sense. So, I can test on the surroundings which will grant no loss of human life. But if I test on the surroundings, yes, it's a good avenue but won't it be devoid of life since I'll be directly attacking their essence of life.
[THAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE CASE, BUT YOU CAN NOT ONLY ATTACK AND DEVOUR SOULS, YOU CAN ALSO GIVE THE ENERGY SOULS POSSES TO CREATE A SOUL-LIKE FORM WHICH ISN'T A SOUL TO SAY BUT WILL DEVELOP INTO ONE. IN OTHER WORDS, A PSEUDO SOUL. NOT A REAL SOUL BUT HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY AS ONE]
Ah that's good then. Even if I empty this area of life, I can still give it back to them. Phew solves all my issues then.
And so, I began all my tests. From infusing the energy with my katana to infusing with my fists, and even switching the aura on, I noted a few things to heart.
Firstly, if the devoured souls aren't returned in pseudo form within a minute of devouring, I can't return them. Secondly, my katana could only take up a limited amount of energy with even how limited it was. Meaning I'll have to find materials to make up the katana. Then as an area of effect attack with my throwables, anything within a 30m radius with essence of life immediately lost their souls to the point. There was no going to be returning of souls or anything. They were gone they were gone. Now I see why the explosives hurt the Orts
[HONESTLY, THAT WAS AN UNEXPECTED ATTACK YOU PULLED BACK THEN]
Hehe. Now I've made a decision.
"I'm ready to die!!!!"