This was the first Vir had heard of such a thing, though with the abysmal state human magic development was in, it hardly came as a surprise.
What else do demons know about prana that humans don’t?
Sadly, it seemed he wouldn’t find out until he ventured into the Demon Realm.
All the more reason to hurry.
“What would you suggest, then?” Vir asked. “I don’t have access to tattoos, and experimenting with circulation paths is too dangerous. What options do I have left?”
Without some massive leap in power, Vir didn’t see how he was going to come anywhere close to the beasts in the valley below. Let alone be strong enough to match Cirayus’ expectations.
“I understand, lad. Ordinarily, you’d have no end of tattoos to choose from, and our time together would be spent having you master those. Unfortunately, were I to try inscribing one, I fear it’d only maim you. Besides, you cannot be so cavalier about your tattoos, I’m afraid.”
“Why? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean tattoos are permanent. The space they take on your body is forever locked to that tattoo’s power.”
“That’s… definitely a constraint,” Vir admitted.
“There’s more. Most tattoos function best when placed at their ideal location. Iksana’s Sight, for example, needs to be inscribed around the eyes. Wouldn’t do much of anything if you put it on a leg.”
“So you’re saying I need to be careful about my decisions. That’s obvious, isn’t it? Not like I’m going to slap on random tattoos without thinking about it.”
“Aye, but that’s not all. Unaffiliated tattoos are the smallest, with normal Bloodline tattoos occupying more space.”
Vir saw where this was going. “And the Ultimate tattoos are the largest?” It was no surprise, seeing how Balancer of Scales snaked around Cirayus’ chest to his back.
“Indeed. From what I’ve gleaned of Jalendra’s records, if you wish to bear all the Ultimate tattoos, you cannot inscribe any others.”
Vir’s hopes came crashing down.
“Not even one?”
“Not one.”
Of course, there had to be some drawbacks to the Ultimates. They sounded too good to be true, granting godlike power by simply inscribing them.
Vir had often wondered what sorts of tattoos were out there, ruminating over the possibilities. With such a world of options, he’d have his pick without ever needing to worry about compatibility like normal demons did. He could’ve mixed and matched Bloodline Arts with unaffiliated tattoos to create the ultimate warrior.
Now? Now he had a decision to make. Seek the Ultimates? Or forfeit that option in favor of several lesser tattoos?
“You have until we reach the Demon Realm to make your decision. Longer—I imagine it will require quite some effort on your part to obtain even a single Ultimate.”
“Figures.”
“For now, I’d suggest focusing on your memories. I know not how you commune with your ancestors, but if you can, seek their counsel. It is a fact that they had a power the likes of which no other demon has ever possessed.”
Vir grimaced. “I’ll try… They only ever come out when my life’s in danger, though.”
“Well, then. ’Tis good that there is no shortage of danger here, eh?” the demon said with a dark grin, moving away from Vir into the forest.
“Where are you going?”
“I shall build our home. Oh, and I should mention—for as long as we’re here, you’ll eat and drink what you catch and find. Understand?”
Cirayus’ demeanor was markedly different from before. It was almost like he was daring Vir to complain.
Until now, the demon had been kind and caring, hesitant to put Vir in danger. Now the demon had apparently come to some conclusion. Not only did Vir fend for himself climbing the Mahakurma, but life was about to get a lot harder for him, too.
“Yes, sir,” Vir replied, showing no hint of dissatisfaction. While Tia might’ve complained, she’d grown up with a silver spoon. Vir was no stranger to hardship. Rather, he welcomed the challenge of foraging on his own. Especially here, in the Ashen Realm. It’d be a useful skill that would no doubt serve him well.
“Good. Complaining gets you nowhere. Only through disciplined action can we improve ourselves. You’ll find a pond near the valley. The water there is safe to drink,” the giant called as he thumped off into the forest.
How does he know all this?
Cirayus had clearly been here before, but why? And when? Just how much time had he spent in the Ash? What sights had he seen?
Vir resolved to learn those answers, eventually. For now, he focused on the task at hand.
Glancing up, he found the Ash Tear gone without a trace.
Not a bad idea scouting out the Domain Lords to see what I’m up against, Vir thought.
He didn’t plan to take them down—at least, not yet. There were a number of experiments he wanted to run first. As optimistic as he was, he didn’t think for an instant he’d win against these foes. If he could, there’d have been no point coming here.
Vir brought out some pen and parchment and began jotting down the local scenery.
The hill he was on supported a small forest that ran right to the base of a solitary mountain that soared hundreds of paces into the air. It was by far the tallest object riding atop the Mahakurma’s back, and Vir thought he spied puffs of smoke shooting from the top. He jotted all of that down.
The forest ended abruptly, giving way to a saddle on the turtle’s back, where the beasts had claimed their domains. He marked these as best he could, scrawling X’s at the various Domain Lords’ favorite lounging spots.
It wasn’t especially obvious where one Ash Beast’s territory ended and another began, so Vir spent a good hour sitting and waiting for the lazy creatures to move. Some patrolled their space diligently, while others were content to laze around, idling their time away.
Most were of types Vir had never seen, and thankfully, he did recognize the closest one—the beast he’d have to fight first. It was one Maiya had fought during her time near the Ash Wall.
Shredders were bipedal lizard-like beasts that walked on their hind legs, bearing a passing resemblance to the Raptors Vir had dispatched earlier, on the Abyssal Flats. Unlike their lesser brethren, Shredders were solitary beasts, and as tall as Vason. Their elongated maws hid three rows of deadly teeth, and their razor-sharp claws and resistance to magic made them both dangerous and difficult to kill. Their semi-translucent, pasty white skin allowed a view into their internal organs, turning an ugly beast into an abomination straight out of a nightmare.
The bestiary had put their Balar Rank between 180 and 300. At a glance, this one topped the upper end of that range. Individually, it was stronger than even the Brood Matron, a beast Vir struggled to kill even with Tia and her party backing him up.
Then again, he’d benefited from the Ash as much as the beast had.
Well, not quite as much; the prana density grew dramatically as he approached, nearly forcing him to leverage Parai’s reverse technique to prevent discomfort. The Shredder likely benefited from living in such a region for months. Possibly years.
If it’s this strong here, how much denser will it be at the very center? And has it opened any chakras?
Vir had no way to tell, but the reward for besting one was twofold. Not only would it serve as evidence of his power gains, bringing him closer to his goal, but meditating in the beast’s lair would grow his blood’s prana capacity, strengthening him.
With excitement growing in his chest, Vir activated Dance of the Shadow Demon. After ensuring Cirayus’ shadow was within range for use as an exit, he entered his own shadow.