Spirit Taming

Chapter 502: Swords In Storm

"How many was that?" Maria growled out the question as she saw another storm frog get slashed down by Clark's spear. She was trying to keep up but his speed was clearly at another level compared to how he had moved before.

"By the count I have kept, Clark had baited and pursued a total of fifteen now. It appears that he is using them for training within the storm. I believe that it is advantageous for us to begin luring more and hunting them as well. We have all become more used to moving since we have started this kind of pursuit."

The way that Ella saw things, Clark was forcing them to train and adapt to the storm faster. In her eyes, it was a slightly more harsh way of helping the group get stronger. She also enjoyed the fact that she was seeing the rarely seen storm frogs and had even spotted evidence that they would be able to gather an egg or two to use as further study materials.

When Ralph had heard what Ella was thinking, he just grimaced before charging ahead and catching up to Clark. Naturally, Clark hadn't wanted to share the storm frogs he had baited towards him, yet the system had other thoughts about that.

'The user has gained assistance. The rewards will be extended and enhanced based on cooperation.'

This had never happened and Clark was purely shocked. However, he had not noticed much change when it came to the last time that this system had been adjusted and made more intelligent. It had only appeared that the analysis of beasts was more focused on what Clark wanted to learn first.

Yet now, Clark saw this new function. One that extended to the group that followed him. Naturally, he pushed his thoughts towards the system wanting more details and the system actually responded for once.

'The assistants that had joined can only contribute if they are fully trusting of the user and considered a follower. Their accomplishments may be counted based on cooperation. Only specific quests allow for outside assistance as this one will. Rewards will be altered depending on their cooperation.

The assistant may also gain rewards that the system will incorporate naturally in to a form that they understand without exposing the existence of the system.'

To say that Clark hesitated seeing this was an understatement. He froze completely in place as Ralph slashed his ax down chopping in to the neck of a storm frog like it was butter. "What? Can't keep up? Or did my strength scare you because I am catching up?" Ralph's response to seeing Clark freeze had been enough to snap Clark back to reality.

"I just didn't peg you for wanting to help battle the storm frogs and enjoy the storm. Let's see if you can kill more than just one or if you will let them hunt us. I bet they would gladly make a snack out of anyone. You or Grace included." It was easy to push Ralph. Clark knew exactly the right way to fire Ralph up and make him more invested in the battles to be had.

Meanwhile, Ralph's face turned red and he wanted to slack Clark for even saying that Grace would get hurt. He had clearly become much more attached to Grace and vice versa after they had trained within the forge for days on end.

This had come with other benefits too though. Grace had a very clear growth in control over both wind and ice control. The energies she used had been her main focus since she had learned how to use a saver, rapier, and bow from the other girls. Therefore, she had been very focused on learning more about the weapons while Ralph learned to forge them.

In doing so, the stronger control of ice energy had allowed Isa to begin to make ice copies of the weapons she used. Specifically, she had a bow that was now firing roughly made frozen arrows. The moment that an arrow pierced the storm frog ahead, everyone looked like they had just seen something amazing.

Even Professor Wright had missed this change since Grace had failed multiple times to do this in training recently.

"Are you two really going to fool around here?" Grace's firm tone made it seem like she was the only mature one in the group right now. "I plan to hunt these storm frogs too. They have enough resistance to water that they also resist my ice. We can't let that happen after learning about it in Nebula."

Seeing that the rest of the group was slowly jumping in to the battle while they still moved ahead made Clark smile. He had not imagined there would be so many notifications about the gorup joining and rewards being adjusted. But he had also not expected that professor Wright would send off yet another of her beasts that he had never seen to lure more of the storm frogs over.

'Jewel gnat elite- ultra rare

The jewel rat is considered a very weak beast that is very common and often eaten by many flying beasts. However, when it is able to grow in to adulthood, it has a chance to gain the poison affinity deep within its bloodline. Only one in a million can properly do this without perishing. Therefore, it leaves the common tier and joins the ultra rare tier of rarity.

The poison it produces has multiple effects. It can cause a beast to rampage, lure beasts, and even cause them to bleed more profusely. It is often used to cause beasts to break apart in beast waves while attacking their own in madness. However, they are also used to attract specific species of beasts.

It has no further growth potential, but its small shiny green jewel like body makes it very easy to see. This attracts more attention and allows it a chance to distract beasts before using its speed and poison. Not many people will live to see a wild jewel gnat since they will run or attack incredibly quickly…'

The diversity of insect type beasts that Professor Wright had was never ending. Clark knew that she had at least three beasts he had seen. However, this could not be the limit. She was clearly very powerful. She had reached a level that could easily allow her to rival a few more of the powerful people in the Nova. Unfortunately, she was focused on teaching for some reason.

She was not growing still and all the beasts she appeared to have were at their strongest levels. It was somewhat of a mystery.

This didn't sit on Clark's mind for long. He managed to spot a somewhat larger tree ahead of them which he didn't expect since they were headed towards a place where the forest and trees growing in this rocky area would be broken up.

"That looks like a good place to test out some new skills. Can you let me take the lead?" Reese had been fairly calm compared to what he had seen and how he had been acting. But since he had taken the lead to speak up and ask for this chance, no one wanted to say no.

"There are four of them, will you be fine?" The tree had appeared to be a place where the four storm frogs wanted to sit and battle one another or do what they needed during this storm. However, they had spotted an enemy and no longer glared at one another.

"My partner and I have a new trick we figured out after we both focused on spiritual energy and shifting our sword techniques." Reese knew this as a good chance to show off his own training results. He had used this move a little during the training against Clark, but he refined it after he had learned from his failures during said training.

As Reese stepped forward, the abyssal sword rose from the scabbard using spiritual energy. Because of the meditation and closer bond, no one had realized that the abyssal sword had grown. That it had become better and taken a slightly new form.

'Spirit steel sword- ultra rare

The spirit steel sword is an unprecedented growth from the abyssal sword. No longer is it considered a relic of the past come to life. The spiritual energy and metal energies have perfectly fused while it consumed various metals. It has created a unique spirit steel that can better channel metal and spiritual energies.

This had greatly developed the link between tamer and beast to create the telepathic ability to attack without its tamer and just with thoughts. The further proof of a better connection is the shared metal and spiritual energy for the tamer to use to create a blade of metal and spiritual energy. Effectively allowing both beast and tamer to attack individually.

This growth has given a new array of potential to the abyssal sword of previous forms. Instead of leading towards becoming anything else, the path to two lost forms has been opened. This can only happen when a truly deep bond beyond what the tamer and abyssal sword had before. One unique to the two that can not be replicated through simple training and time. One forged by the soul.

One potential form…'