Chapter 585 - Spirit Bound (Patreon)

"Hera? Are you ok?" Blue asked. The Empress was quiet for a while already, and her expression kept changing from excitement to confusion rapidly. 

"Yeah… No, yeah, I'm fine… This is just… a lot," Hera replied, still shell-shocked.

"Really? You got something that good?" Bonnie asked.

Hera nodded, "Let me start with the easy one. This…" she raised her hand and showed the changes that happened with her bracelet itself had changed. It was no longer brown, but now a very dark shade of ebony, with some small cracks covering everything, but as she touched them, she understood that they were part of the decoration. There was a layer of something that almost looked like resin covering the cracks. It was also just three fingers wide now, instead of covering almost half her forearm. The snake pattern changed, now they were more intense and clearer, and the scales created an illusion of them all moving in circles all the time. 

"That is very beautiful. Did it change?" Shane approached. Aside from Hera, she was the one who had spent the most time looking at the accessory.

"Yeah, it got an overall buff to the bonuses in general, and it has a new skill. It says it can make vials of Naga Essence, and that if people drink that, they can get Naga skills or increase the ones they already have," Hera explained.

"That is just ridiculous. You have an item that can give people skills? What rarity is that? Legendary?" Adriel gasped while rolling his eyes.

"Actually, yeah. It was unique previously, but after this, it became legendary. Then again, I think that's fair. Like, most of what the item does is not that exciting. Some decent overall buffs, a few active skills, and the thinking with the scouting snakes. Giving others skills is what makes it legendary, right?" Hera turned to the rest of the group, it was the first time she ever saw a legendary item in person, but her explanation sounded right in her mind.

"I think so," Alex nodded, "I mean, I only saw one legendary item before in an auction, and it was a pretty basic one at that. A sword that had a scaling of 500 for strength. But it required like 200 charisma for the effect to be active."

"That's considered a legendary item?" Blue tilted her head, "It sounds kind of bland."

"Yeah, but think about it. Even if you just have 1 strength with that weapon, your attacks will work as if you had 500. If you are high level and have at least 100 points on strength, every attack would be with an effective strength of 50 thousand. But yeah, it feels a bit bland," Bonnie replied. 

"I would like that one," Mylo said.

"The starting bid was a few billion gold. I can't even imagine what the end price was," Alex sighed.

"We are getting off track, "Shane interrupted the conversation, "I'm guessing that skill effect only works if you are a Naga, right?" 

"Sort of. The bracelet still only works if the person wearing it is a Naga, like me apparently, but the essence can work on everyone. But it does say that it has a reduced effect on anyone that is not a naga," Hera was looking at the new version of her bracelet, so she didn't notice Shane's eyes going wide.

"Are you saying that… I could get a Naga skill too?" 

Hera nodded, "I think so. I have no clue how long it will take, though. I don't think this would be something quick. 

"Could all of us get those skills?" Bonnie was sitting on a chair, much more relaxed than everyone else.

"I mean, I guess so. I can make two vials of essence a day. I kind of wanted to drink one, especially since I would get better effects, but the other one is free for grabs."

"Couldn't you drink both of them?" Adriel walked closer to Alex and rested his head against hers.

"I could, but the second vial would be wasted. It says in the description that I can only receive the benefits of the essence once a day."

"I think it's important for you to get one of the vials. That way, we can know what kinds of skills the Naga had," Helena suggested.

"I was thinking the same thing. Besides, it's her item. It's only fair that she gets first dibs," Shane nodded, but she started smelling the air, "Shit! The fish!" she dashed out of the room and to the kitchen on the side.

Now that she paid attention to it, Hera also noticed the aroma of grilled fish with fruit in the air, even if a little bit burned. She turned back to the bracelet and asked for an empty cup. Then she triggered the Naga Essence skill and saw how one of the snakes from the bracelet moved and placed both fangs on the glass. Following that, a clear liquid started to fill the cup. When all the 50 ml of essence were out of the snake, it turned back to the bracelet and blended with the rest of the ones there. Hera picked up the glass and sniffed it. There was no smell, not even the smell of water. 

"At least it's not white. It would be weird if it was," Blue looked at the clear liquid in the glass, but Hera just gave her an annoyed expression, "What? I'm sorry, but 'Naga Essence' sounds like something very specific. And it's not like it's a cow, and you are taking their milk."

"Actually, you can milk snakes too, but in that case, you are taking their poison. I was more worried that it would be something like that," Bonnie tried to change the subject. 

"Whatever," Hera rolled her eyes, "Bottom's up," she said before downing the liquid like it was a shot of alcohol, "Holy shit, this is bitter," the Empress coughed a bit and waited, expecting something to happen, but nothing did. She even looked into her Naga Poison skill, but the rank didn't change. 

"So? Feeling any different?" Adriel asked.

"Not really. Just thirsty now. But the skill did say it was a chance to get a new skill or increase the rank of one. I'm guessing it will take some time to see the effects."

The group nodded, but Daskka interrupted their conversation, "What about the other notification, mum?"

"The one about Mr. Beetle? I'm still trying to understand how that could happen. I was in a vision, not in a physical location. How could a spirit from there bond with me?" Hera turned to the herald.

"There is a spirit trying to bond with you?!" Helena and Bonnie gasped at the same time.

"Yeah. You know the bug I carried around there? So, the other notification is telling me that a 'Venom Spirit' called Mr. Beetle wants to bond with me. 

"But… how? You don't use Venom. Do you?" Bonnie asked, still unsure of what to think about this. 

"I mean, I use poison, so maybe it's close enough?"  Hera suggested. 

"I don't think so, Sweetie. From what I know, spirits only accept their own type of mana. Even if you, for instance, have shadow mana, and they are a shade spirit. It doesn't work," Helena explained. 

"What if this is about her title?" when Adriel Spoke, everyone turned to him, "I mean, I don't remember the exact wording but wasn't it like something about her being blessed by mana or whatever? Maybe that blessing makes spirits more comfortable with her even if they don't match her mana."

"I'm more confused about how a spirit was inside a vision. Was I really there?" Hera frowned. 

"Can't you just accept it and then ask the spirit?" Blue asked.

"I don't think so. That's not exactly how it works. You won't be able to talk to them as much as having them send you their mana, and help when using spells that match their type," Helena explained. 

"Actually, mum. I think you can do something else," Daskka turned to the side and looked at Lurize, "Remember the conditions for making a titled blade? Either have a construct type item that has some synergy with your weapon, or…."

"Have one of my blades bound to a spirit?" Hera opened a big smile, "Do you think this would work? Their mana is not the same." 

"You can use a Royal Seal to try to change that, and Venom is very close to Poison. From what I can tell, doing that with the legacy gives you a little more leeway. Since, in theory, you would only have one spirit with you," Daskka explained.

"Ok… But before anything. What would happen with them?" Hera turned to Lurize, who was just watching this conversation, but he had yet to say anything.

Daskka stopped for a moment to think, "Ok. If I'm understanding this correctly, not much. Lurize would still have all his memories and personality, but he would also know everything that happened between you and the spirit. For the spirit, they would enter in stasis for the time you have them in your court. According to the legacy, spirits are like energy. They can never be destroyed or created, only changed. So they would change to be part of your court for a while, and when you pass the court to someone else, or you die, then the spirit would return to wherever they are from. Also, this is not like doing with items. If you want to make them a titled blade, the spirit has to accept that."

"Just the spirit? The blades wouldn't get a say in that?"  Hera frowned.

"No. I know you don't like that, mum, but the fact of the matter is that the blades obey your orders. If you tell one of them to become a titled blade, they won't just say yes, but think it's an honor," Daskka sighed.

"Is that true?" Hera turned to her blades who all agreed in her mind.

'Becoming a titled blade is the same as becoming part of your inner circle, Empress. There is not one of us who would think about refusing that,' Frost spoke up.

"Even so. I never want you guys to think that you have to accept if I ask you to become one of the titled blades. If you have any reservations, you can say, ok?" Hera was looking at Lurize specifically since he was the one to whom she wanted to give a title.

'If you are giving me the option of helping another legacy holder. I'll gladly take it. But I do feel like it will be unfair, and I wouldn't have as many skills as other blades,' Lurize said.

"You are only considering your own skills, not the spirit's. I think that the fact you only have a single skill might even work in our favor. From what I understand, and take this with a grain of salt, spirits have more interesting and unique skills. Things that items and equipment wouldn't have. Again, I'm not sure of any of this. It's just the small pieces of information I'm getting from the legacy. Oh, and before I forget, mum, you can bond with other spirits if they want to. As long as they accept you, that's ok. I just got that information. Binding a blade to a spirit does not make you unable to bind with another spirit like it should because it's technically not you who is being bound. Another thing, you don't have to worry about anyone turning into a demon. The legacy stops that," Daskka continued.

'As I said, I would be willing to become a titled blade, but… One of the requirements is 100% familiarity, correct?' Daskka nodded in reply to Lurize's question, 'We are still a few percent short.'

"Ok then, we have to train, but first," Hera turned around and pressed yes in the notification, accepting to be bound with Mr. Beetle.

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You have accepted to be bound to the Venom Spirit, Mr. Beetle. 

Any spells that use Venom Mana will have their cost split between you and the Spirit. 

A portion of the Venom Mana used on attacks or spells against you will be absorbed into your own mana. 

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