Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1494: Ferex’s Resolve

Pherdanta's view of Ferex was different to that of everyone here.

The Apostle was covered in silvery scales, like some kind of living armour. His head, which essentially looked like a wolf-themed helmet – fierce and life-like – gave a very different impression of what Ferex was like as a Null Lifeform. He was fierce, but very self-conscious. Especially after the incident.

A rough, brown hide wrapped around Ferex's shoulders like a cape. It was a mutation called the Pseudo Spirit Walker's Hide, a type of apparel imbued with the qualities of the Null Life Class called Spirit Walker. Essentially, when used, it made Ferex invisible to most sensory abilities.

Before, Ferex had been the Limitless Body Null Demon Hound, a species of Null Lifeform that could mould parts of its body into varying types of materials. It was similar to Grim's Paradon Parody, only, it could also manifest materials exclusive to the Null Verse.

But all that had changed after the horrific training regiment Skullius had forced on everyone.

The Apostle had first forcibly evolved because of the influence of Skullius' Nullmancer Class upgrade, and then he had slaughtered many Cluster beasts to evolve further while sharpening his skills.

Now, he had evolved his race to the Steel Shadowing Hound. But that wasn't his greatest achievement. The Apostle had improved the properties of his Pseudo Spirit Walker's Hide, and in addition to that, he had truly mastered a certain skill he had been honing before the incident.

Before he was forced to transform into the Full Deck BoneTender, he had been in the process of perfecting his [Dark Soul Bending], a skill that allowed him to temper with the souls of others.

The skill had long evolved many times since it had that name. Now, it was a Supreme Skill called [Soul Acre] with a series of sub-skills. And indeed, Ferex had the golden mana cores to support the skill.

Skullius considered [Soul Acre] as valuable as it was dangerous though. He had forbidden Ferex from using it unless absolutely necessary.

"Ferex," Pherdanta called the Apostle.

Ferex sighed.

"Is it time?" he asked. The Unlimited Star nodded her head.

Quite like how she could see the frustration in Vali and Maxim, she had also seen the burning passion in Ferex. Well, everyone who was in the Timemould Mirror Box could see it, really.

Ferex had been ashamed of what he had done. It wasn't really his fault that his body was hijacked by a Null Terror, but all the same, he had caused problems for everyone as a result.

The Apostle had worked hard while in the Mirror Box to grow as strong as possible in order to counter the effects of his Flaw. (It remained because his new evolution, Steel Shadowing Hound, was a higher species of Null Demon Hound.)

His Flaw activated whenever he failed to take down an opponent without a great struggle, transforming him into something else from the Null Verse. Now that the BoneTender was gone, Skullius had surmised that some other Null Terror was in line to take over Ferex if he failed to restrict the conditions of his Flaw. (The guidance didn't change its notation, oddly. Skullius surmised it was also part of the Flaw; some other mysterious creature more dangerous than the BoneTender would be coming next.)

But Ferex had something to prove. He wouldn't let himself fail again. For some reason – and Pherdanta could also see it – the Apostle thought Skullius still held him accountable for everything that happened back then, hence his determination.

Since Skullius didn't have the time to attend to Ferex's burning emotion stage by stage, Pherdanta had taken it upon herself to help the Apostle feel like he was redeeming himself. Thus, after Guissepo had told her all about the trouble brewing in the Under, she had told Ferex to ready his [Soul Acre].

Pherdanta addressed everyone right then.

"One of the last two additional measures I prepared to bolster your strengths before we descend to the Under has to do with Ferex here," she said, and everyone turned to the Apostle. She didn't say anything else, leaving it up to the Apostle to explain.

Ferex stepped forward and scanned everyone. Most shuddered at the look of that fierce steel wolven head. The Apostle then raised his hand to waist level and looked at his palm.

"I possess the ability to alter souls," he said. "I also possess the ability to allow others a chance to alter aspects of their own souls. There's a cap on just how much I can alter, since I cannot contend against the Rules that established Aigas' power system themselves, but I can assure you, the effects are more than significant, regardless of the limit."

Everyone gaped. Even the Six House Heads were stunned.

The ability to alter souls significantly?

They all knew, unlike most, that the soul learned from the body, and the body learned from the soul. Additionally, the soul was the store for all the potential of an individual. Altering aspects of it could mean actualizing that potential through their physical body!

Vali was especially shaken by this news. Possibilities immediately began screaming inside her head.

Her incomplete Imagining Technique…

Her own technique…

Could she improve them both?

Maxim frowned at the news, however. She whispered to Pherdanta:

"Why didn't you tell us this before? I could have saved stronger slashes for everyone if this thing can actually alter souls. I could have increased the potency of my technique."

Pherdanta shook her head.

"Sure, you would have… well, you will increase Planate High's power, but I couldn't have made my slashes any stronger," she said.

"What? Why?"

Pherdanta sighed.

"My own powers are changing," she said. "My mana is changing. My techniques are changing. I'm developing something special, and that process is making every weapon in my arsenal… volatile. I want my slashes to be more lethal. The ones I made for everyone are the tamest I can currently make. If I try to ramp up the power… the result will not be friendly for the use of allies."

That… was not the answer Maxim had expected.

She remembered how Pherdanta's mana had started to influence the ambient mana earlier and realized that perhaps she had misinterpreted that scene.

Pherdanta hadn't changed in that moment. She had simply begun changing, and that process affected every facet of her, after all, she was mostly one-note as a combatant. She was a Sword God.

Ferex was still addressing everyone as the two conversed.

"You should be able to sense the influence of my [Soul Talisman] once I place it inside you. When it appears in the depths of your soul, wait for it to give you options. Believe me, you will know when it does," he said.

"For the majority of you, you will only be able to enhance three aspects of your soul, and the changes will not be permanent. They will last as long as I have mana to spare."

"However, for the stronger experts, Incandescent Stagers in particular, it is possible for you to make the changes permanent. After all, you are supposed to be very well acquainted with your souls. During the period my [Soul Talisman] is throbbing inside you, make sure you familiarise yourselves with the enhancements that you impose on your soul. Afterwards, you may just be able to replicate them without my influence."