Chapter 54: PHASE
Azrael walked calmly.
His expression was almost languid.
It was as though he were strolling through a park rather than one of the most dangerous places in the universe.
[Let us see the results of your training.]
The system said in his mind.
"That reminds me, you said killing dimensional beasts earns me SP, right?" Azrael asked.
[Yes. It is one of the fastest methods.]
Azrael nodded slowly, looking around.
"I should be able to earn enough to use the time space for a long time."
Although he spoke, he had already shifted into a combat stance.
[You have become quite perceptive.]
Azrael nodded.
"What are the characteristics of a dimensional beast?" He asked.
As he spoke, his eyes continued scanning the space around him.
He had felt something moving, but could not find anything visible yet.
[That will cost you.]
Azrael shook his head slowly.
"Selfish system."
[Coming from someone who received two newbie packages, that is rich.]
The system rolled its eyes with an emoji.
Azrael scoffed and sidestepped.
No sooner had he moved than a tear appeared in the space beside him.
Three huge gashes were ripped into the air, healing almost immediately.
Azrael did not pause. He drove his fist toward the white wolf that had attacked.
"Huh?" He muttered as his fist passed clean through the beast’s body.
It was as though the wolf existed only as a presence while its real body was somewhere else entirely.
He pulled back, pivoting to the left just in time to avoid another claw strike.
"Is that some kind of skill similar to my phase shift?" Azrael mumbled, watching the wolf.
A brief silence fell between them.
Neither moved.
Then a flicker of confusion crossed Azrael’s face.
"It is only tier one. Why is it this strong?"
As if those were the exact words the wolf had been waiting for, it lunged, this time with far more ferocity.
Azrael did not linger on the thought. His body erupted with a burst of essence.
From that point, he was pushed far beyond anything he had reached before.
"This condensed essence is really effective for enhancement," he muttered as he launched forward.
The earth beneath him exploded from the force of his push.
His fist drove toward the beast’s claws.
Sharp gales of wind cleaved through the air as fist and claw collided.
Neither of them stopped.
In their wake, the earth caved in and the air groaned.
Azrael pivoted, barely avoiding another strike.
His fist shot out, smashing into the wolf’s ribs.
He pulled back quickly.
"Why can it hit me but my attacks pass through it?" Azrael groaned.
It was at that moment he finally understood the frustration his own enemies must have felt whenever he used phase shift.
The wolf did not give him long to sit with the thought.
It tore forward, its body a flicker of pure white as it slashed.
Azrael leapt to the side, letting the claws tear deep gashes into the earth beneath.
The wolf retracted instantly, a white energy condensing along its claws as it tore forward again.
Time seemed to stutter as the claws ripped through the very fabric of space.
But Azrael was unaffected.
He phased through the distortion and drove a punch straight into the wolf’s jaw.
White blood sprayed through the air as the blow shattered its teeth.
A grin spread on Azrael’s lips.
"So phase shift works that way too," he muttered.
Before the wolf could regain its footing, Azrael was already above it, both hands clasped tightly together.
The wolf staggered upright.
Too late.
Azrael’s hands drove down into its skull.
The sound of cracking bone echoed outward as the beast’s head split apart.
White blood soaked his fists, but he could not have cared less.
He backflipped, landing softly on his toes.
[You have gained 1,000 SP.]
Azrael looked at the notification.
"I would have complained if it were difficult, but once that phase ability is overcome, they are not so bad," he said.
[Choose your words carefully. Dimensional beasts would not be considered the greatest enemy in the universe if they were that straightforward.]
The system warned with a smirk emoji.
Azrael waved it off and moved toward the wolf’s body.
"First, I extract the soul core from the glabella," he muttered.
He did not need to search for it. His strike had already split the skull open. All he needed to do was pull it free.
With a firm tug, he yanked the soul core loose from the muscles gripping it.
"A tier one soul core," he muttered with a smile, tossing it lightly in his palm.
He dropped it into the ring Eriksen had given him.
Looking at the ring, he could not help but think of his brother.
"Such a psychopath," he mumbled to himself as he reached for the wolf’s corpse.
[What are you doing with that?]
The system asked.
"Is it not obvious? I want to put it in the ring."
The system seemed to sigh.
[You now have a reliable way to earn SP. Why not spend five thousand on learning the full significance of the Infernal core?]
Azrael furrowed his brows.
"You are being unusually persuasive, and I am not entirely sure how this applies right now, but fine."
He was tired of the system bringing it up.
The system displayed a thumbs up emoji.
"I have said this before. Stop using that. You are not my father."
The system did not reply to the comment.
It responded instead with a new screen.
[Effects of the Infernal Core:
Can absorb any form a soul core to grow skill fruits
Can accept an unlimited number of soul constructs.
Can use an unlimited number of skill fruits.]
Azrael’s breath hitched as he read through it.
Every limitation placed on other core grades was completely removed at the Infernal grade.
He finally understood why the system had been urging him to buy this information.
Especially now, when he could actually make use of it.
He was about to speak when the system cut in.
[Now. Who is the greatest system?]
Azrael sighed.
"Never mind."