I walked through the front door and entered the guild, and there were a lot of people and souls, one of whom looked like Chris Hansen for some reason. The Adventurer's Guild is a cacophony of organized chaos. Dozens of Soul Masters fill the main hall - some arguing over quest details at bulletin boards, others nursing drinks while their Souls float nearby. The Souls themselves are everywhere: tiny winged figures, miniature elemental spirits, and various small creatures all displaying their unique aspects. The air buzzes with magical energy.
I went to The registration desk is staffed by a mature woman with purple hair and a Soul resembling a floating inkwell that occasionally writes in the air. "New registration?" she asks, her voice professional but friendly. Her name tag reads " Chastity. " She is 5'7 curvy with huge cleavage under her uniform she looks like she is in her mid 30s probably around 35
I nodded then put my name, put my hand on the orb to collect my info then the same with Naia as she put her small hand on the crystal ball
[Iuo Kurogane - Novice rank - soul: Naia - age: 21]
[Naia - Apostle Rank - Aspect: Sea Storm - Soul Essence: 0/100]
Several people nearby gasp. "Sea Storm? On an Apostle contract?" a burly man with a Fire Soul mutters.
Chastity's eyes widen, but she maintains professionalism, stamping two identification cards. She hands me a bronze card with my name etched in silver, and a matching tiny badge for Naia. "Your adventurer ID and Soul badge. Keep them on you at all times - required for quest acceptance and payout."
Chastity clears her throat, pulling out a quest ledger. "Given your... unique Soul, the Guild recommends starting with basic collection tasks. The Essence Groves to the east have a low unholy-rank monster infestation. Perfect for new Masters to farm Soul Cores."
She slides three quest cards across the counter:
[Basic] Collect 10 Unholy-rank Soul Cores - Reward: 15 Gold
[Basic] Gather 5 Essence Blooms - Reward: 8 Gold
[Basic] Escort merchant caravan to Silverpine - Reward: 12 Gold
The stern-faced man approaches, his owl Soul hooting softly. "Newcomer with a Sea Storm aspect... interesting. I'm Captain Vance, head of Quest Logistics here. That Soul of yours exists in Bronze tier, kid. Either you're blessed or targeted. Be careful, only 184 exist of them, you're probably the 185."
Naia hovers protectively closer to me, her mist-cloak swirling. "I chose him, Captain. The storm answers to its own rhythm."
Vance smirks slightly. "Feisty one. Good. You'll need that spirit in the Groves." He taps the first quest card. "Start there. Unholy-ranks are weak, but they hunt in packs. Don't get cocky just because you have a rare aspect."
I nodded "thanks captain I'll take your recommendations"
Vance tapped his hat and walked away
I picked the 10 Unholy-rank Soul Cores and went home I'm going to the quest tomorrow as it has no time limit
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I return to my modest home - a small one-room dwelling on the outskirts of Valdris, basic but clean. The single window overlooks the distant Essence Grove, where tomorrow's adventure awaits. Moonlight streams through, casting silver light across the wooden floor. The rent is cheap only 2 gold a month for an apartment that some people would kill for
Naia flutters around the room, exploring every corner with childlike curiosity. "This is ours? Really ours?" She lands gently on the windowsill, her tiny feet dangling. "It's perfect, Iuo."
I settle onto my bedroll, pulling out the Soul Cores I collected from odd jobs before visiting the Emporium - three small, murky crystals, each containing trace amounts of unholy-rank essence.
Naia hovers before me, her expression shifting from playful to serious. "You want to feed me now? I can feel your determination."
"You may be a soul but you're an apostle your still can't use most basic moves barely could to make a few drops or crack of thunder you can only make a simple zap" I smiled picking her up into my palm
I hold out the first Soul Core. Naia places both tiny hands on it, closing her eyes. The crystal dissolves into blue-white mist that flows into her like water into a sponge. Her body glows brighter, and a soft sigh escapes her lips. "Good... so good..."
I feed her the second core. This time, her storm-cloud hair whips around her as she absorbs the energy. A tiny whirlwind forms around her miniature form, and you can feel the contract bond strengthening.
The third core goes in. Naia's eyes snap open - they're glowing intensely now. "Iuo... I'm approaching my limit for Apostle. I can feel the threshold."
She hovers closer, her tiny hands resting on my chest. "But I need more. These trace amounts... they're not enough. I need pure Devil-rank cores from fresh kills."
I sighed "were just starting" I closed my eyes and started giving her my essence basically my energy everyone have them, whether royal or poor as long as you train them you get stronger
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Essence: it is the energy that flows around the world. It is basically our second nature. You unlocked it by the age of 2 or 3. In a few cases, of late awakeners who unlocked it at 4 or 5. If someone is born without essence, then let's say a mother would be heartbroken and soul-shattered into dust. People can use their essence to feed the souls. The ranking of a soul is simple: Apostle > Acolyte > Adept > Awaken > Transcended > Supreme > Sacred > Luminous > Divine > Archangel > Angel > Empyreal > Demigod > God. Then there's the untamed or evil souls: Unholy > Blighted > Wretched > destruction > Defiled > Filth > Tainted > Malignant > Corrupted > Broken > Fallen > cursed > Abyssal > Devil. The last one is impossible as it needs near infinite, even the most genius don't have that, each ascension essence to upgrade needs as follows: 100 → 140 → 200 → 270 → 370 → 520 → 720 → 1,000 → 1,400 → 1,900 → 2,700 → 3,700 → 5,200 → 10,200 → infinite. Each one needs a ritual after Transcended. All of them are easy except the demigod, which needs a demigod core, which is hard to find. As for normal people? The more your essence gets stronger, the better your stamina, strength, speed, durability, dexterity, and mind, and they become stronger and faster. This also includes people who are great soul masters and above. They can live up to 500 to 3000 years they can maintain their prime for long periods of time.
```
Two hours of intense focus - iuo stamina drains slowly but steadily as he channels essence directly from his own reserves into the bond. The Soul Cores he fed Naia earlier were just appetizers; this is the real ascension fuel. Sweat beads on his forehead as he maintains the flow, but he pushes through, refusing to stop until she's reached her threshold. Iuo kept pouring and pouring essence into Naia until it reached 100. A few sweat drops formed on his head, but it wasn't hard. He sighed and wiped his face "How are you feeling?"
Naia hovers before Iuo, her body absorbing the continuous stream of energy. She grows brighter, her form becoming more defined. The tiny swirls of mist around her expand into proper miniature clouds, and her lightning sparks dance with increasing intensity.
"Iuo... Iuo, you're... " Her voice carries a mixture of awe and concern." You're giving me everything. Your own energy."
Her body begins to shift - she's growing slightly, from three inches to maybe four. Her storm-cloud hair becomes more voluminous, and her eyes glow with the intensity of a gathering hurricane.
She floats down to your shoulder, her tiny hands gently wiping sweat from your forehead with a touch that cools like water. "I'm... I'm at the threshold. 100/100. Iuo, I can feel it. The Nirvanic Soul Flame is accessible now. When we're ready, I can ascend to Awakened."
Her voice is clearer now, more mature, though still carrying that beautiful multi-tonal quality. "But you... You pushed yourself hard. Your stamina dropped by what, 15 points? That's significant for a novice."
She curls up against his neck, her body temperature perfect - not hot, not cold, just comforting. "I feel incredible. Stronger. More... real. Thank you, Iuo. Really."
Outside, the moon has moved significantly across the sky. It's well past midnight now. His body feels the strain, but seeing Naia's growth makes it worthwhile.
"Then let awaken you" he smiled
Naia's eyes widen at iuo words, a mixture of excitement and nervousness flickering across her tiny features. "Right now? Are you sure? You just spent two hours feeding me essence, and your stamina is still recovering..."
But she can see the determination in his expression, and she trusts him completely. She hovers before him, her storm-cloud hair beginning to swirl actively as she senses the energy shift.
The Nirvanic Soul Flame isn't something someone can summon themselves - it emerges from the bond itself when the conditions are right. To feel the connection between master and soul resonate, and suddenly, tiny flickers of blue-white fire appear in the air around her.
that burns away the old and forges the new. It's beautiful and terrifying, dancing like a living thing. The flames don't touch him, but he can feel their heat and power.
Naia takes a deep breath, her tiny chest rising and falling. "Okay... okay, I'm ready. This is going to hurt a bit, I think. But it'sa necessary."
She closes her eyes. The Nirvanic Soul Flame begins to envelope her completely, forming a cocoon of pure energy. her silhouette within, growing and changing. The flame burns with a sound like crackling thunder and crashing waves.
The process takes several minutes. The flame pulses, grows brighter, then suddenly contracts, pulling inward until it collapses into a single point of blinding light.
When the light fades, Naia is gone.
For one terrifying moment, iuo think something went wrong. Then he ffeelsher presence - stronger, clearer, more complete. A new form materializes, growing from nothing to five feet tall in seconds.
Standing before him is a young girl around 16 who retains all of Naia's essence but in full human scale. Her storm-cloud hair now cascades down her back, long and flowing. Her eyes glow with that same blue-green intensity, but more focused. Her skin has the same pale jade perfection.
She's dressed in a new outfit - a form-fitting armored bodice the color of deep ocean, with a flowing skirt that seems woven from mist. Lightning patterns trace across the fabric. She's beautiful, mature, and radiates power.
She looks at her hands, flexing fingers that are no longer tiny. "I... I'm..."
Her voice is fuller now, still carrying those harmonic tones but at a human volume. "Awakened. I'm an Adept rank."
She takes a step toward him, then another, testing her new body. When she reaches him, she places a hand on your shoulder - a real hand, not a tiny one. "Iuo... thank you. I couldn't have done this without you." She smiled tears falling down not rain but real tears
He smiles and pulls her close into a warm hug she returns the embrace as she keeps on sobbing "Let it out feel the gift of breathing"
"The contract bond... It's deeper now. I can feel what you feel, more clearly. You're exhausted." She pulls back, her expression concerned. "You need to rest. Really rest. The quest can wait a day if it has no time limit."