…The empty final page leaves Chris stunned.
Questions echo relentlessly through his mind. Questions he desperately needs answered.
He flips through the ancient pages again.
Then again.
Back and forth.
Nothing changes.
No hidden text.
No missing chapter.
No clue.
The answers he had hoped to find simply do not exist within the book.
Chris exhales quietly, his frustration growing.
He lifts the heavy tome from the ambry and begins the long walk back toward the towering shelves. Around him, the Bibliotheca remains alive. Millions of Zodicians browse endless rows of books, climb nanobot-crafted pathways, and study ancient tomes, while countless nanobots silently maintain the colossal library, repairing shelves and guiding readers through its seemingly endless expanse.
Reaching the shelf, Chris carefully slides the book back into its place with the assistance of the nanobots, the pathway folding away once he steps back.
But he isn't satisfied.
Not even close.
He continues searching.
Book after book slides from the shelf into his hands.
Volumes on skills.
Treatises on techniques.
Records of aura manipulation.
Ancient texts on Kamons and Myojins.
Yet none of them mention the strange book he has just read.
None mention the Blood Scale Moon Eyes.
None speak of the forgotten Moonstraught Myojin.
The more he searches, the heavier the unanswered questions become.
Unable to settle his restless thoughts, Chris finally gives up.
He leaves the Bibliotheca behind, its immense halls still bustling with countless Zodicians, and makes his way toward the Scorpio Academy, hoping the next lesson might distract him from the mysteries now haunting his mind.
…As Chris steps through the gates of the Scorpio Academy, the nanobots instantly recolor his Chrono suit to a deep, dark purple. The academy around him hums with life as Zodicians settle onto Cathedras, conversations ripple through the enormous hall, and streams of nanobots glide along the walls like glowing veins, constantly maintaining the colossal structure.
Waiting at the front of the academy stands a slim-figured woman.
Her upper body forms a graceful V-shape, contrasting with her fuller lower body. She has dark skin, deep purple eyes, and long, dark-purple curly hair cascading down her back. Her incisors are noticeably sharper than her canines, while her long nails give her an even more intimidating appearance.
She wears the dark-purple Chrono suit unique to the instructors of the Scorpio Academy, marking her as its overseeing instructor.
Her voice carries a peculiar melody, light yet piercing, like the delicate buzz of a butterfly woven together with the sharp screech of a ladybug.
"Hey, Zodicians," she says with a bright smile. "I am Instructor Ria of the Scorpio Academy. I am pleased with the number of matriculates this year."
She lets out a soft chuckle before a playful smirk curls across her face.
"With this many of you..." she says, her purple eyes sweeping across the sea of students, "...I am really going to enjoy myself."
A brief silence follows.
"...And that means I will drill every single one of you to your very core."
She sticks out her tongue for a fleeting moment, lightly brushing it across her upper lip before clasping her hands behind her back.
"Well..."
Her smile widens.
"Let's begin."
Instructor Ria strolls calmly across the front of the academy, her dark-purple Chrono suit flowing lightly with each step as millions of nanobots drift through the vast hall, maintaining every Cathedra and wall in silent synchronization.
"I will begin with a simple description of Scorpio," she says. "Scorpio is a unique sign, and like every zodiac sign, it specializes in a particular category."
She pauses, allowing the academy to fall silent.
"Scorpio's specialty... is poison."
Her grin slowly widens.
"And what is poison?"
She raises a finger.
"Poison is something that kills."
The instant those words leave her lips, her aura surges.
Dark-purple energy spirals around her body.
Her figure begins dissolving into swirling mist as poisonous aura erupts from where she stands. The thick vapor coils around itself, growing denser with every passing second until Instructor Ria's form is barely visible within it.
The mist is grotesque.
Its poisonous aura spreads through the academy like a living cloud.
Several Zodicians instinctively cover their mouths.
Others begin coughing.
A few even expectorate as the suffocating pressure brushes against them.
The poisonous mist continues swirling around a single point while Instructor Ria's aura settles within it, as though the cloud itself has become her body.
Her voice echoes from inside the haze.
"Aura will always strengthen your skills, especially when that skill manifests as something like mist."
The poisonous cloud slowly circles the academy floor without dispersing.
"When manifesting Scorpio's mist, there is always the possibility of becoming envenomed yourself if you fail to control it properly."
The mist thickens for a brief moment before gradually calming.
"And if your control is poor enough..."
Her calm voice sends a chill through the room.
"...you can very easily reach the brink of death."
“Mist," Instructor Ria continues as she strolls across the front of the Scorpio Academy, "is a very thick form of air, one even thicker than fog. Unlike ordinary mist, Scorpio's mist possesses the qualities of all three states of matter."
She raises her right hand.
"As a solid, it reverberates one's particles from the inside out."
The dark-purple aura surrounding her condenses slightly, giving the students a visual representation of the principle.
"As a liquid, it allows the poison to dilute throughout one's body, spreading into every pathway of the victim until it brings about a sharp and stunted death."
The mist slowly becomes heavier, its movement resembling a slow-flowing current.
"And finally..."
She pauses, her grin widening.
"...as a gas, it strangles its victim internally while simultaneously corroding the body externally."
A faint murmur spreads across the academy.
Chris watches without blinking.
"So understand this," Instructor Ria says. "All three properties of mist can be incorporated in countless ways. Mastering Scorpio is not simply learning to create mist... it is learning which state your aura should embody at any given moment."
She sneers.
Her body's aura begins condensing once again.
Dark-purple energy pulses throughout the enormous academy, washing over every Cathedra before returning to her. The nanobots embedded within the walls continue flowing through the academy's living structure, unaffected by the poisonous aura swirling around them.
"The first form."
Her body slowly begins to evanesce.
The mist surrounding her compresses until its particles become incredibly dense. The aura within it follows suit, growing heavier with every passing second. Layer upon layer of poisonous energy folds into itself until the swirling mist looks almost tangible.
Chris instinctively narrows his eyes.
The mist no longer resembles vapor.
It resembles a moving wall.
Its density feels so overwhelming that it seems capable of reverberating through steel itself, simmering a blade in half by nothing more than the pressure contained within it.
The energy continues growing denser.
Snap.
The sharp sound echoes across the academy.
"The liquid state."
Instantly, the entire composition changes.
The particles become larger while maintaining their density. Her aura vigor grows noticeably more resilient, and the poisonous energy becomes even more potent than before. The swirling mist now flows like a violent current, rolling around Instructor Ria's body as though it could engulf and drown anyone unfortunate enough to stand before it.
The pressure within the academy shifts once again.
Snap.
Her third snap reverberates through the colossal hall.
A large dynamism of power erupts from her body.
This time the particles loosen, spreading farther apart while remaining perfectly controlled. Although less compact, the aura becomes drastically more corrosive. Splutters of poisonous energy ripple across every corner of the academy, dancing along the air before dissolving into the surrounding mist.
Chris can almost feel the corrosion brushing against his skin.
The mist no longer threatens through weight.
It threatens through decay.
Its very presence seems capable of eating away at anything it touches.
The poisonous aura continues fluttering throughout the academy, speaking of nothing but corrosion.
Instructor Ria gives a playful grin.
At once, every strand of mist collapses back toward her.
The swirling aura vanishes.
The poisonous pressure dissipates.
The academy falls silent once more.
"I hope all of you could grasp the significance and method of the three states which I have just portrayed," Instructor Ria says, her gaze sweeping across the countless Zodicians seated before her. "One must dive deeper and completely immerse themselves in Scorpio's energy if they are to truly make use of such power."
Instructor Ria lets the silence settle over the academy before speaking again.
"This now brings us to an entirely new category," she says, her voice carrying across the immense Scorpio Academy. "One that should be completely discussed by every entity within this academy."
She slowly walks between the rows of Cathedras, her eyes sweeping across the countless Zodicians seated before her.
"How does one immerse themselves in their own aura?"
She pauses.
"And how does one resonate with it?"
Chris's attention sharpens.
The question alone feels heavier than the previous lesson.
"Aura..." Instructor Ria continues, "...is the foundational lifeline of every entity. But simply calling it a foundation is incomplete. Aura represents life itself."
She raises a finger.
"It can represent life."
A second finger follows.
"Energy."
Then another.
"Pulse."
Finally, she clenches her hand into a fist.
"And for today's category..."
"...strength."
She smiles.
"Aura possesses many fundamental and basic principles, each allowing it to create various forms from itself."
Dark-purple aura slowly seeps from the tip of her right index finger.
The moment it appears, the surrounding air seems to acknowledge its existence.
Chris watches without blinking.
The aura drifts forward in a ribbon-like stream before curling back upon itself. It twists around its own body over and over again, each rotation tighter than the last. As it intertwines with her energy, its density steadily increases.
The ribbon continues spiraling.
The deeper it intertwines...
The denser it becomes.
The pressure around her finger gradually intensifies until the flowing aura no longer resembles mist.
It hardens.
Before the eyes of every Zodician, the spiraling ribbon compresses into what appears to be a solid ingot of aura, releasing an intense, high-pulsed density that quietly spreads throughout the academy.
Several students instinctively straighten their backs.
Even Chris feels the pressure.
Instructor Ria slowly raises her hand.
The condensed aura remains balanced perfectly on the tip of her index finger.
Then...
The aura splutters.
Tiny particles break away from the ingot, yet instead of falling, every single fragment suspends itself around her open palm. The particles remain perfectly motionless, as though gravity itself has forgotten them.
With a gentle rotation of her wrist, the floating particles begin to move.
They revolve around one another.
Her energy joins them.
Aura and energy intertwine into a single revolving structure, each rotation becoming smoother and more refined than the last. The spinning mass gradually forms a purple sophomore of energy, its brilliance reflecting across the dark-purple walls of the academy while streams of nanobots continue gliding silently through the enormous structure.
Chris cannot look away.
Everything she has demonstrated appears effortless.
Instructor Ria gives one final smile.
The revolving construct immediately collapses.
The particles dissolve.
The aura vanishes as though it had never existed.
She lowers her hand.
"Everything about aura," she says calmly, "simply depends on your energy and your thoughts."
She begins pacing once more.
"Whatever you envision can be brought to pass through proper control of your aura."
She gestures toward the place where the construct had floated moments earlier.
"Skills are simply manipulations of aura."
"Abilities are simply definite forms of aura."
"Techniques are simply proper placements of aura."
She stops and looks across the academy.
"And the style in which you choose to embody your aura..."
A small smile forms on her face.
"...depends on you and you alone."
"Various embodiments of aura are unique in their own ways, and most times they are envisioned by a single entity," Instructor Ria atones as she slowly paces before the countless Zodicians seated throughout the vast Scorpio Academy.
"The identification and creation of Kamons come through proper redefining, reconstruction, recreation, and placement of various aura structures."
She pauses, allowing the statement to settle into the minds of every student.
"A Kamon is built with the aid of a life attribute."
Her dark-purple eyes sweep across the academy.
"Simply put, life attributes are the specific resonances one possesses with an element."
She raises her right hand.
"Now, for every one of you present to understand the deep, in-depth scope of Scorpio, you must first understand its attribute."
A faint smile forms across her face.
"Attributes are simply elements."
She lets the word linger.
"Elements with which one resonates."
Her aura quietly pulses around her body.
"The resonance one has with a particular element is known as their Ascribe."
...
At that instant, streams of nanobots begin flying around Instructor Ria.
They emerge from every direction of the academy, their countless metallic bodies glimmering beneath the academy's lights as they converge behind her.
Chris watches as the nanobots move with astonishing precision.
Layer upon layer, they begin constructing a slate directly behind Instructor Ria.
The nanobots compound upon one another at incredible speed, weaving together an enormous slate so massive that it stretches across the entire front of the academy.
Several Zodicians instinctively gasp.
Even Chris cannot help but stare.
The slate is so large that every student, regardless of where they are seated within the colossal academy, can see it clearly.
The last nanobot locks into place.
The slate hums softly.
Its surface flickers to life.
Countless life attributes begin appearing one after another across it, each displayed with perfect clarity as streams of nanobots continue flowing around its edges, maintaining the construct.
Instructor Ria glances toward the slate before turning back to the academy.
Without missing a beat...
She picks up exactly where she left off.
"There exist thousands of life attributes, and there are still many yet to be discovered," Instructor Ria continues as the enormous slate remains suspended behind her. "Attributes that people are still searching to uncover, and attributes that have yet to be fully analyzed and understood."
Her gaze travels across the countless Zodicians.
"The life attributes displayed before you are the major life attributes that have been observed and documented throughout the years."
...
The nanobots covering the slate suddenly begin convolving toward a single point.
Millions of them shift in perfect synchronization, restructuring the enormous display within seconds. The previous illustrations disappear as the nanobots rapidly reform into a single, colossal image.
Chris fixes his eyes on the slate.
The first life attribute appears.
It is Flame.
The image is darkish red at its lower half, while the upper portion burns with a slightly lighter crimson hue. The attribute seems alive, its fiery structure flickering across the slate as though an actual flame had been imprisoned within it.
"Flame," Instructor Ria says. "A special life attribute that has existed for countless years."
She gestures toward the blazing image.
"It allows its user to recreate various aura structures through flame."
The fiery emblem pulses once.
"The largest number of Flame users originate from the Veritox Clan."
The image lingers for a brief moment before dissolving.
Immediately, the nanobots begin restructuring the slate once again.
The fiery reds fade away as millions of nanobots rearrange themselves into another enormous symbol.
A towering iceberg appears.
Its surface is a dark, reflective light blue, while its crystalline edges shimmer with a chilling brilliance. The embodiment of Ice dominates the slate, causing many of the students to stare in quiet admiration.
"Ice," Instructor Ria continues, "is a special life attribute recorded to occur only within the Frost Clan."
The image glows softly.
"It possesses various abilities, none of which have been fully understood by those outside the clan."
She pauses briefly before continuing.
"The attribute embodies itself within the user's aura."
Her dark-purple eyes narrow slightly.
"And that aura has always been described the same way..."
She lets the silence build.
"...like the tip of an iceberg."
"Sharp."
"Pointed."
"And blood cold."
The image of the iceberg continues shimmering across the massive slate as the surrounding nanobots remain in constant motion, ready to reconstruct the display for the next life attribute.
The nanobots begin restructuring the slate once again.
Millions of them converge, separate, and reform at astonishing speed, replacing the previous life attribute with another. Within moments, a new image stands proudly upon the enormous slate.
It is Mist.
The attribute takes the form of a cloud marked by various cracks running along its structure. The cloud appears to embody a combination of the three states of matter simultaneously. Around it, a faint luminous ring is erected diagonally, slowly revolving as though the attribute itself possesses its own orbit.
Instructor Ria turns toward the newly displayed image.
"The Mist life attribute," she says, "is the very center of Scorpio's embodiment."
Her dark-purple aura gently pulses in response.
"It possesses various forms of aura pulsation and dense fluxes of aura, making it one of the most versatile life attributes when properly understood."
She gestures toward the cloud.
"The main clan known to embody this attribute is the Curvature Clan."
Chris instinctively recalls Elisa.
"However," Instructor Ria continues, "not every progeny of the Curvature Clan resonates with the Mist attribute."
She slowly folds her arms.
"Most of those who are not resonated with Mist will instead be articulated with one of the three states of matter from which Mist derives its embodiment."
A quiet sigh escapes her lips before she continues the lesson.
...
Once again, the nanobots begin restructuring themselves.
The cloud dissolves into countless microscopic machines, which immediately rush together to construct another life attribute upon the slate.
This time...
Lightning.
The attribute manifests as a spherical arc surrounded by jagged fractures. Along its outer edges, elongated blade-like projections spiral outward, giving the entire structure the appearance of rotating spiral blades. Tiny cracks branch away from the sphere, each illustrated as brilliant lightning marks stretching into the surrounding space.
The attribute flickers continuously.
Every pulse of light briefly illuminates the colossal academy before settling back into silence, awaiting Instructor Ria's next explanation.
"Lightning," Instructor Ria continues as the brilliant symbol crackles across the enormous slate, "is one of the most unique and unpredictable life attributes."
The spherical arc continues emitting tiny flashes of light, each pulse illuminating the front of the academy for the briefest of moments.
"Its primary existence has only ever been recorded within the Kaminari Clan."
She gestures toward the attribute.
"The Lightning attribute is one of the fastest life attributes known. It depicts the personality of its users as sharp, spiky, and vigorous."
The jagged blades surrounding the spherical arc continue revolving slowly, while countless lightning fractures branch outward from its surface.
"It is an attribute possessing numerous skills, techniques, Kamons, and even Myojins that have yet to be fully discovered."
Instructor Ria pauses.
Her eyes shift toward the colossal slate, patiently waiting for the next life attribute to be prognosticated.
...
The nanobots immediately begin restructuring the slate once again.
The lightning attribute dissolves into millions of microscopic machines before rapidly reforming into another image.
This time, an enormous octagon appears.
Spiked chains surround its entire exterior while additional chains occupy its internal expanse. Every chain stems from a single point beyond the octagon's outer edge, their projections extending outward like the writhing tentacles of an octopus. The chains sway subtly despite the still air, giving the impression that they possess a life of their own.
Instructor Ria nods toward the newly formed image.
"Aethel Links."
"Special spiked living chains with instinctive actions."
The chains upon the slate twitch as though responding to her words.
"They obey the orders of their user and resonate deeply with the body parts of the one who wields them."
Chris immediately thinks of Rhys.
"They are the exclusive life attribute of those belonging to the Drack Clan."
The chains tighten around the octagon before loosening once more.
"The Aethel Links possess the ability to increase both their size and their aura density."
She points toward the countless spikes lining the chains.
"And the spikes present along the chains are themselves capable of reciprocating the skills of the Aethel Links, allowing the attribute to become even more versatile in combat."
Without wasting another moment, Instructor Ria proceeds with the lesson.
...
The nanobots begin reconstructing the slate once again.
The living chains collapse into countless streams of metallic particles before rapidly assembling into another symbol.
A large cuboid appears.
Surrounding it is a perfectly spherical ring that continuously revolves around the cuboid's exterior, giving the entire construct a calm yet immovable presence.
"This," Instructor Ria says, "is the life attribute of Barrier."
The cuboid glows softly.
"This attribute specializes in the creation of barriers that may practically be described as impenetrable."
Chris studies the intricate details displayed upon the slate.
Tiny pores become visible throughout the structure.
"The barriers contain pores that exist upon the command of their user."
She traces a finger through the air.
"Those pores allow the user to release wave beams through the manipulation of their aura, energy, and aura density."
The cuboid slowly shifts its shape before returning to normal, demonstrating the flexibility of the attribute.
"The Barrier attribute can also be remodeled into various forms depending upon the user's intention and control."
She turns back toward the academy.
"This life attribute belongs exclusively to the Shirudo Clan, a clan renowned for its proficiency in the art of encumbrance."
Her voice grows firm.
"Only those carrying the blood of the Shirudo Clan are capable of resonating with and wielding this attribute."
The cuboid continues revolving silently upon the massive slate as the surrounding nanobots remain poised, awaiting Instructor Ria's next command.
"The Shirudo Clan," Instructor Ria continues as the Barrier attribute slowly revolves upon the enormous slate, "is a clan that has completely monopolized the attribute of Encumbrance."
She gestures toward the cuboid suspended upon the slate.
"Simply put, they specialize in the production of barriers."
The spherical ring surrounding the cuboid rotates steadily.
"Those barriers are efficient in various aspects of combat."
Her dark-purple eyes sweep across the academy.
"They serve as shields, and they specialize in defending against attacks from every range."
She raises a finger.
"For long-range combat..."
The pores illustrated upon the barrier begin glowing.
"They make use of coherent emissions."
Thin streams of aura briefly radiate from the pores before fading away.
She raises a second finger.
"For mid-range combat..."
The barrier shifts slightly.
"They make use of short-style monochromatic beams."
Several concentrated beams are displayed erupting from different portions of the barrier before instantly disappearing.
A third finger follows.
"And for close-range combat..."
The cuboid compresses.
Its massive frame condenses into a much denser structure before rapidly reforming itself into various shapes.
"They compress the barrier itself."
The construct transforms into blades...
Then spears...
Then gauntlets...
Before returning to its original cuboid form.
"They reform it into various shapes, allowing the barrier to become a weapon that aids them in close-range battles."
Instructor Ria takes a brief pause, allowing the demonstration to settle into the minds of the Zodicians.
...
The nanobots begin restructuring the slate once again.
The cuboid dissolves into millions of microscopic machines before another symbol gradually takes shape.
A diamond appears.
Every crystalline face is fully erected and displayed from a dorsal point of view. Three prominent cracks stretch across its surface, linking together before branching into numerous smaller crystalline formations, each resembling miniature diamonds growing from the original structure.
Chris studies the image carefully.
"This," Instructor Ria says, "is the Crystal life attribute."
She points toward the intricate crystalline symbol.
"It belongs exclusively to the Kessho Clan."
The crystal reflects the academy's lights in countless directions.
"The Crystal attribute is lighter than air..."
She pauses.
"...and harder than steel."
The crystalline structure gives off a faint shimmer.
"It can be crafted according to the views and perspective of its user."
The diamond slowly reshapes itself into several geometric forms before returning to its original appearance.
"It possesses a unique fade that allows it to poke and scavenge every particle surrounding it."
Tiny crystalline fragments gather around the central diamond, slowly being drawn inward.
"It naturally collates together at a single point..."
The fragments merge.
"...forming an exceptionally large density mass."
Instructor Ria snaps her fingers.
Snap.
Instantly, the nanobots disperse from the slate.
The crystal disappears.
The enormous display returns to its blank metallic surface.
Instructor Ria folds her hands behind her back before continuing.
"Various life attributes exist beyond those I have shown you today."
She begins walking once more.
"Attributes such as Lithic Mass..."
"Water..."
"Zephyr..."
"Acoustic Waves..."
"Pyroclast..."
"...and countless others."
Her voice echoes calmly throughout the immense academy.
"If one truly wishes to dive deep and understand the true value of a life attribute..."
She stops walking.
"...then one must first understand Resonance."
The word hangs heavily in the air.
"Resonance is the synchronization of one's life pulse and life energy with an element or ability."
Chris instinctively leans forward.
The explanation feels more important than everything that had come before it.
"One unique characteristic of Resonance..."
Instructor Ria says, her expression becoming more serious,
"...is that it allows an entirely new life attribute to be created from scratch."
A ripple of surprise passes through several Zodicians.
"And when such a life attribute is born..."
She slowly scans the academy.
"...no other clan..."
"...and no one outside that bloodline..."
"...can ever possess it."
Instructor Ria takes a brief pause, allowing everyone to absorb the weight of those words before catching her breath and continuing her lecture.
"A life attribute created from scratch can manifest in various ways," Instructor Ria continues, her voice remaining calm as she stands before the countless Zodicians. "Examples include the Barriers of the Shirudo Clan and the Aethel Links of the Drack Clan."
She gestures toward the now-empty slate behind her.
"Such an attribute runs only within their bloodline because they were the ones who reconstructed and redesigned it from scratch."
Chris remains focused, committing every word to memory.
"The design of a life attribute," Instructor Ria says, "simply and usually begins with an element."
She slowly raises her right hand.
"One either places their aura upon an element and forms a bond with it..."
She lowers her hand slightly.
"...or one discovers an element by forcefully aligning their aura with a particular structure of a Zodiac Sign."
The academy grows completely silent.
"There are three methods through which this can be achieved."
She raises one finger.
"The first method is called Tanoshii Hibiki."
The words echo gently through the academy.
"With Tanoshii Hibiki, one finds or discovers an element."
She pauses briefly.
"The element has not yet been bound."
She traces a slow circle through the air with her finger.
"The user continuously resonates their life energy, life pulse, and aura with that element until a bond is successfully formed."
Her dark-purple aura quietly ripples around her body.
"Once that bond has been established, the element recognizes its user, and the foundation for a life attribute is born."
She raises a second finger.
"The second method is known as Tsuyoi Hibiki."
Her expression becomes slightly more serious.
"This form of resonance occurs with elements possessing exceptionally strong vigor."
She slowly paces across the front of the academy.
"The element has already been discovered..."
"...but it has not yet been bound."
She stops.
"For one to bind themselves to such an element..."
She raises her hand once more.
"...they must offer more than aura alone."
"Aura."
"Life energy."
"Life pulse."
"And finally..."
She briefly clenches her fist.
"...their blood."
A faint murmur passes through some of the Zodicians.
Instructor Ria continues without interruption.
"Only after all four have synchronized with the element can a true bond be established."
She gestures toward the blank slate.
"Once that bond has been created, the user may then construct a life attribute based upon that element."
She gives a small nod.
"However, in cases such as these..."
"...there can exist multiple adopters of the same attribute."
Her eyes sweep across the academy.
"Zephyr is one such example."
She allows the statement to settle before taking a brief pause.
After catching her breath, Instructor Ria immediately returns to her explanation, prepared to reveal the third and final method of resonance.
"The rarest and final method..." Instructor Ria says, her voice growing noticeably heavier. "...one whose probability is practically equal to zero."
The atmosphere inside the Scorpio Academy shifts.
Even the restless Zodicians become silent.
"A method so difficult that its completion brings about an end repercussion."
She slowly raises three fingers.
"It is known as Hibiki no Sōshi."
The name alone sends curiosity through the academy.
"This is the rarest form of resonance ever theorized, and it occurs in two stages."
She raises one finger.
"The first stage is called Zokusei."
Chris instinctively leans forward.
"This is the initial stage, one that usually involves the body, mind, aura, blood, and energy pulses of the adopter."
Her aura quietly ripples around her.
"At this stage, the element is drafted and created from scratch."
She traces a slow circle in the air.
"It is given a solid foundation and a definitive structure through the aid of the Zodiac Signs possessed by the adopter."
Behind her, several nanobots briefly illuminate the Zodiac emblems engraved throughout the academy walls.
"The emblems of the Zodiac act as the channels through which the element is created."
She pauses.
"This is the only stage that most adopters are capable of achieving."
Her eyes move across the academy.
"It is within this category that the Aethel Links..."
"...and the Barrier Attribute..."
"...are believed to fall."
Silence follows.
Instructor Ria slowly raises a second finger.
"The second stage..."
Her expression hardens.
"...is the most unpredictable."
She lets those words linger.
"And, quite simply..."
"...the nearest thing to impossible."
She takes a slow breath.
"This stage is known as Tanjō."
Chris feels the weight in her voice.
"The Tanjō concerns the creation of an entirely new element."
She begins walking once again.
"Unlike Zokusei, only three fundamental requirements exist."
She raises her hand.
"The first..."
"...is the Human Embodiment."
Her voice becomes slower.
"The Human Embodiment consists of the spirit..."
"...the mind..."
"...the body..."
"...the soul..."
"...and consciousness."
She raises another finger.
"The second requirement..."
"...is Aura."
Finally...
"The third..."
"...is Blood."
The academy remains deathly quiet.
"In Tanjō..."
She continues,
"...the Human Embodiment itself becomes the sacrifice required to reconstruct and recreate an entirely new element."
Her words echo throughout the academy.
"The Spirit serves as the medium upon which the new element is founded."
"The Mind becomes the structure that shapes the element and grants it the ability to evaluate."
"The Body determines the location where the embodiment of that element will permanently reside."
She pauses briefly before continuing.
"The Soul..."
"...and Consciousness..."
"...are the most vital aspects of the entire creation."
Chris feels a chill despite the absence of any aura.
"The Soul serves as both the core and the vessel."
"While Consciousness grants the element the capacity for endless growth and continuous evolution."
Instructor Ria slowly places her hand over her chest.
"The Aura becomes the eternal binding link between the adopter and the newly created element."
She lowers her hand.
"And the Blood ensures that the element may only be transferred throughout the bloodline of the adopter."
She stops walking.
Her eyes become unusually serious.
"But..."
"There exists a condition."
The single word hangs heavily in the academy.
"It can only be performed..."
"...between two individuals of the same clan."
Several Zodicians quietly exchange glances.
"One becomes the sacrifice."
"The other becomes the one into whom the newly created element is embodied."
A long silence follows.
"No one knows how this ritual is truly carried out."
Instructor Ria gives a slow shake of her head.
"The only information I possess..."
"...has come through years of painstaking research."
She exhales quietly.
"And even then..."
"...it remains nothing more than a rumor."
Her gaze lowers.
"A rumor stating that the Malchificha Eyes of the Nox Clan are themselves the result of a Tanjō."
The moment those words leave her mouth...
The academy falls completely silent.
Not even the faint movement of clothing can be heard.
"No one truly knows anything about those eyes."
"All that is known..."
"...is that the Nox Clan, second only to the Aristocrat Clan, has eradicated nearly every trace of information concerning them."
Chris notices several students unconsciously stiffen.
Instructor Ria continues.
"There exists another rumor."
Her voice drops.
"A rumor concerning a weapon."
"A weapon with which a Hojisha (Holder) is said to have performed Tanjō."
She slowly clenches her fist.
"The Holder's Human Embodiment..."
"...their Aura..."
"...and their Blood..."
"...became that weapon."
Her words seem to weigh upon the academy itself.
"A weapon so powerful..."
"...that it has left its traces throughout the very existence of the world."
She slowly raises her eyes.
"And should anyone ever come to possess it..."
A long pause follows.
"...they may possess the power..."
"...to dispel the Aristocrat Clan itself."
No one speaks.
No one even breathes loudly.
Instructor Ria closes her eyes for a brief moment before releasing a deep sigh of relief.
The explanation had been long.
Exhausting.
She takes in several slow breaths, allowing herself a moment to recover before continuing the lesson.
A Zodiacian with a curly-top orange hairstyle raises his hand.
His build is slightly muscular around the shoulders and arms but slimmer around his waist. His dark brown eyes are filled with curiosity as he waits patiently for Instructor Ria to acknowledge him.
Instructor Ria notices the raised hand and gives a slight nod.
"You may ask."
The young Zodiacian rises from his plinth before speaking.
"Hola, Ma'am..." he says in a vulgarly casual tone. "You skipped some details."
He scratches the back of his head.
"What the hell are the repercussions of a Tanjō?"
Several other Zodicians immediately turn toward Instructor Ria.
It is evident that many of them had been wondering the very same thing.
Instructor Ria folds both arms before answering.
"It is simple."
Her expression becomes serious once again.
"If one succeeds..."
"...it simply ends with the death of the other person."
The academy falls silent.
"But there are several other possibilities."
She begins counting them one by one.
"In cases where the receiving individual is not strong enough to bear the newly created element..."
"...both participants perish."
Her voice remains calm despite the horrifying explanation.
"And because no one remains capable of absorbing that element..."
"...the element eventually withers away into nothingness."
She pauses briefly before continuing.
"There is also the possibility that one of the participants is not consummate enough to complete the ritual."
"In such a case..."
"...the ritual immediately rejects them."
"They are killed instantly."
A ripple of unease spreads throughout the academy.
Instructor Ria continues.
"There also exists another outcome."
"The ritual may succeed perfectly..."
"...yet the element itself gradually becomes a venom."
She slowly clenches her fist.
"A venom that begins eroding..."
"...or completely eradicating..."
"...the very clan from which it originated."
Chris's expression stiffens.
The explanation grows darker with every sentence.
"And finally..."
She pauses.
"The last case known to me."
Her eyes sweep slowly across the academy.
"The quality of the newly created element may become so extraordinarily high..."
"...that no descendant is capable of inheriting it."
She lowers her gaze.
"When that happens..."
"...the element dies together with its adopter."
Silence.
Instructor Ria lets every possibility settle into the minds of the students before speaking once more.
"Tanjō is an almost impossible ritual."
"Very few ever dare attempt it."
"And when they do..."
Her voice softens.
"...almost no one comes out alive."
The curly-topped Zodiacian slowly nods, the curiosity on his face replaced by unease.
He quietly returns to his plinth.
...
Chris remains frozen where he sits.
His heartbeat gradually quickens.
The explanation Instructor Ria has just given collides with everything he had read inside the ancient tome hidden within the Bibliotheca.
The empty final page...
The forgotten Moonstraught clan sign...
The forbidden Myojin...
The child...
The blood...
The Moon Field...
Every fragmented piece begins fitting together inside his mind.
The answer he has been desperately searching for...
The key needed to understand what the mysterious book in the Bibliotheca had been trying to tell him...
The true meaning hidden beneath its words...
It had all been hinted to him...
Right here.
Within this single colloquium.
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