Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Chapter 1051: Nullmancer's Trump Card! (1)

Skullius' second mana core, the Nature-Bound Malleable Form Core, was quite unique. Back when Replicus first acquired it, by using [Unbound] on his mana, he had discovered that the core's Refinery did not have a fixed pattern, but was adaptable. It was constantly changing, reacting to its surroundings as best as it could.

As for what a Refinery was...

It was the complex pattern currently revealed from Replicus' mana core.

In essence, what the Penetrator had just done to this second, less vibrant mana core, was to remove its Shell, revealing the layer beneath.

A mana core was like an egg. It was comprised of three parts; the Centre in the innermost part, the Refinery in the middle, and the Shell as the outermost layer.

The Refinery was what determined whether or not someone could use complex powers by powering them with their mana. The pattern within the Refinery, could normally not be changed, meaning one's fate was set. Only extremely high-level Mages and Hidden Classes could perhaps change this, but of course, both were hard to get access to for an ordinary expert.

This detail made it clearer how impressive the Nature-Bound Malleable Form Core was. Replicus had only used it for basic attacks till now, having it fuel basic to rare elements, and sometimes his Distorted Gravity which he couldn't make work well with just his ordinary

-core.

In truth, Replicus hadn't really known what to use this core for. Or rather, he hadn't known how to maximise its unique composition.

Now he did.

Without thinking much about it, he had the weak pulse of the essence of Maximum Catalyst rush towards his shell-less mana core.

The essence... was beautiful, to say the least.

As the fangs of the External Fragment receded from him, Replicus saw purple-gold particles rush from his bones, and invade the ever-changing Refinery to his Form Core. They moved very swiftly. A little too swiftly.

Whatever this trail of particles was capable of, Replicus wanted it to register within the Form Core, the characteristics lodged into the pattern of the Refinery.

The Penetrator doubted that Maximum Catalyst had portions of mana packed into it, like Distorted Gravity, but that didn't make a difference. His goal was to make the Form Core extremely compatible with Maximum Catalyst, which he hoped would reduce the cost of using the concept while also boosting his control of this newly acquired power.

As soon as the two were exposed to each other, Replicus saw the patterns in the Refinery instantly start to mirror the hue of the particles of Maximum Catalyst. Then... a moment later, the mana core suddenly changed colour.

Because of the influence of [Sage Strain] and [Sage Save], the core was currently blue (though the mana from it and every other type of core would still look white). However, the shade began to change to a gorgeous, mesmerising purple-gold that was particularly flashy, and flaky.

Replicus didn't know if this had anything to do with the quality of mana changing as well. He doubted it. But it seemed what he wanted was starting to bear fruit somewhat.

For now, Replicus left it at that.

Since he hadn't completely destroyed his mana core, he didn't feel any disturbances in his soul, which was good sign.

'And now...' he thought as he turned back to the External Fragment of Realised Choices. 'I have decided what else I want refined.'

"Do tell," the Fragment said.

Replicus told the entity of his choice, and its eyes flashed. Its heads instantly shot out to bite into Replicus once again, and the Penetrator felt his body being invaded by the fangs once

more.

This time, instead of feeling an injection of what felt like cold venom, Replicus felt what he had told the serpent-themed entity to bless - as it called it - get grasped by an indecipherable swath of essence. Whatever flowed from the Fragment wasn't something he could discern.

'There it is. Hopefully its most refined and unique state isn't too different,' Replicus thought. He had chosen a skill this time.

What he assumed would happen, was that this skill would simply reach its penultimate state. The guidance field appeared to notify Replicus of the progress, but...

The sea leapt up!

Jerthrax and the Null Devil King dove down and smote the ebony sea with excess might!

The former's unusual shadows dyed the world in darkness at that very moment, and everything turned chaotic.

Replicus hurried to look at Yuyui. The girl was wearing a very strained face, but it seemed her powers were still active. However, her Eye of Dispersal wasn't able to disrupt the raging waves, as they were not in themselves supernatural. It also wasn't able to dispel the darkness cast by the shadows, but the reason for this wasn't the same.

'She can't dispel two phenomena at the same time!' Replicus thought in anguish.

This discovery... the Penetrator held it close.

Yuyui raised her hand to make everyone move again.

"Don't," Replicus said to her, and everyone looked at him, surprised.

"Why not?" Yuyui asked with urgency.

The waters rippled and boiled. The battle was happening under everyone's feet now, and was likely to resurface at any moment.

"There's going to be a division from here on out," Replicus said. "Pherdanta. Baddan, Grim, Allora. You have earned a bit of a break. Leave what follows to me Yuyui and me."

Pherdanta was the first to revolt.

"But Master, we can still..." she began when the words began dying on her tongue.

"I'm not arguing that you can't still fight. I know you can. But against those monstrosities, you will be giving your lives for nothing. It's not your time to die yet."

Allora was next to try and prove that she wasn't worthless.

"I can support you, Master. I haven't only improved in Mind Casting. If I push myself I can be of use!" she said with a deep, heavy frown.

"I know. But not this time. You have already procured the Harmonic Ember for me. All of you. This next part only requires you all to live. That's your directive for now. Besides, there's still some small fry left for you to nip. I'll make sure you won't be disturbed when you handle them," Replicus said with an encouraging, assuring tone.

Allora hung her head.

Grim gave a long, audible sigh.

"I hope you won't be dying in our stead then, boss," he said. His red eyes hid his own version

of rebellion.

"Not at chance."

Yuyui was the one to speak with a strained smile because of the effort she was exerting

against Jerthrax's influence.

"Maybe once, but that's it. Besides, if it gets too tough, I'll tag you all in against Master's

wishes."

The green-haired girl's words sparked a little lightness to the air, but the exploding of the sea once again cut it all short.

The massive maw of a dragon rushed out from the waters barely fifty meters away from the

group.

Replicus took that as his cue.

What he was waiting for, was already done. It all happened while he was conversing with his

subordinates.

With the same spirit of urgency as before, Replicus quickly activated the newly refined skill.

Well, the skill might have been new, but its name remained the same.

['Bringer of All' has been activated]

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