Jack caught the parchment Rainsister tossed. Obviously not using his nonexistent body. But through the telekinesis aspect of his [Mysterious Anomaly] power.
He unfolded it. Intricate and ancient runes covered the surface. They mapped out a complex spell modification. A pathway from [Past Echo] to [Transcendent Echo].
Jack scanned them. His mind had been sharpened by his continuous learning and countless experiment he did as Jack Night. He processed the information with ruthless efficiency.
The runes involved in the modification were not inherently difficult. They spoke a language he already understood. A fusion of arcane principles and mechanical precision.
As a Mystic Scholar in his specter form, he had delved into the fundamental patterns of magic. He knew how runes were the invisible threads that wove mystical reality.
As a Steamrune Engineer in his human form, he had learned to link runes into logical circuits. He had learned how to encode intention into physical manifestation. He knew how to build devices that defied conventional magic.
This parchment showed him the similar methods to modify an existing spell. It was simply a more advanced application of those very same principles. It wasn't about learning something entirely new. But about refining, linking, and expanding what he had already known.
The process felt familiar. Like upgrading an old but reliable piece of steamrune machinery. A few altered sequences here. A subtle shift in energy flow there. And the entire function changed. Transcending its former limitations.
He summoned his spectral grimoire. It floated before him. Pages turning with an unseen force. Settling on the [Past Echo] entry.
The page pulsed faintly. A living record of his magical development. His spectral hand, tinged with faint green light, hovered over the page. Ready to begin the modification.
He was focused. But his sharpened senses, a product of his spectral form, allowed him to multitask. To perceive the conversation unfolding around him.
The twins, Adam and Alice Lingreen, as usual, was full of curiosity.
Adam asked first. In his usual flat tone. "Big Sister. Are there other Law Grade Entities?"
Rainsister smiled gently. "Indeed, Little Adam. Many such entities exist. Often sealed away by heroes of old. Much like the Deep Silence Little Jack was currently dealing with."
Her voice was soft. Yet it carried an undeniable authority. The weight of eons of accumulated knowledge.
Jack, even while mentally dissecting runes, found himself listening. Practical information was always valuable.
"Hmm... let's see." Rainsister tapped her couch arm. "I remember there is this Inextinguishable Flame, sealed within the heart of the South Volcano Island. It is a primordial blaze that consumes all. Yet paradoxically, it creates new life from ash. It was sealed by one of my companions, Bonebrother."
Rainsister paused, letting the information sink in. "Then, far to the south, at the very edge of the world, lies the Absolute Zero Frost. It is sealed in the South Pole. Within an ancient glacier. A being of pure stasis that halts all motion, all time, all life. It took three deities from Elder Trentree Pantheon to do so I think."
Alice chimed in. Asking in flat tone too. "And elsewhere?"
"In the sprawling, untamed lands of the New Continent, there were at least two more. The Undeath Life. A paradox incarnate, perpetually spawning and corrupting life. It should be held in check beneath the ancient Eldoria Necropolis." Rainsister answered.
She continued. "And I heard in a hidden cavern, deep within the perilous Whispering Caves, lies the Sleepless Dream. A Law Grade entity that can weave illusions so real they consume reality. Its seal is a labyrinth of consciousness. Created by a group of powerful Array Wrights."
She paused for a few second before continuing. "In the vibrant Wavefront Kingdom, resides the Iridescent Colors. A being of pure, overwhelming sensation, capable of bending perception and reality with its vibrant, chaotic existence. It is sealed within the Chroma Vault. By the Archbishops of the Church of Redemption a few millennia ago."
Jack committed these names and locations to his internal database. Law Grade Entities. Absolute threats. Learning about them was a prudent measure. He imagined their powers. Their potential to wreak havoc.
His own powers, though considerable, were still a far cry from such fundamental forces. He continued his work. The runes on the parchment slowly, painstakingly, being etched into the fabric of his grimoire.
Amaranth seized the lull in conversation. "Goddess, you mentioned heroes of old. Are there other transcendent Power Classes rarely practiced now? Or perhaps even extinct?"
Her curiosity mirrored Jack's own. Though his was more pragmatic... Could he find these lost arts? And exploit them?
"An astute question, Little Amaranth." Rainsister nodded. A knowing glint was in her eyes. "Indeed. History is filled with the appearance and disappearance of many magnificent powers. Some have faded into legend. Either through the disappearance of their practitioners or the loss of their foundational knowledge."
"First, let's just consider the Array Wrights." She continued. "These were the true masters of magical architecture. They didn't just cast spells. They built spells through their array formations. Ones who used different systems compared to the popular runes at present era."
"What could they do?" Adam asked. Still in flat tone.
"Their power was in constructing vast, intricate array formations. A structure that could channel, amplify, or even warp magic. They could raise powerful wards around entire cities, create places of accelerated growth, or even modify the local laws of physics within their arrays."
"That sounds useful." Alice commented.
"It was." Rainsister agreed "Their extinction was quite sudden and mysterious. Some say it was due to the immense mental strain required to be in this class. Often leading to madness or early demise. Others believe their knowledge was simply too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands, and so it was intentionally suppressed by many."
Jack felt a jolt of recognition. His own Steamrune Engineering wasn't too dissimilar in principle... building mechanical structures to achieve magical effects. The Array Wrights were likely the purest form of that art. There was potential there, certainly.
"Then there were the Empyrean Songstresses." Rainsister continued. "They channeled raw magical energy directly through their voices. Weaving it into songs that could inspire armies, heal the gravest wounds, soothe a rampaging beast, or even unravel the fabric of reality."
She sipped her drink before continuing. "Their power was tied to their emotional resonance and their innate connection to the world's magical flow. Their art was deeply personal and gender-locked. Only female could learn it. It is believed their decline began during the Grim Death pandemic incident in the end of the medieval era."
Jack recalled the song needed for the Deep Silence's seal. A songstress's power. It was unfortunate to lose the mystical art of such interesting class.
"And... there were these Primordial Warriors." Rainsister went on. "These were not merely strong fighters. They underwent a perilous ritual. Consuming a highly volatile 'Awakening Potion' that unlocked the raw, untamed power stored within human potential."
"What could they do?" Adam asked.
"They gained immense physical strength and heightened senses. And they often possesed supernatural recovery." Rainsister answered. "Their battle fury was legendary. But the potion often came with a heavy price: irreversible mutations, overwhelming bloodlust, or a greatly shortened lifespan."
Jack knew more than Rainsister about this. His own rakshasa form, Judge Jack, was a Primordial Warrior after all.
"Closely related to the Warriors were the Beast Brawlers." Rainsister added. "These people would subdue powerful magical beasts. Afterward, through a unique ritual, they would bind the beast's very soul into their own bodies."
"Why?" Adam asked again.
Rainsister smiled. "By doing so, they would then learn to manifest aspects of that beast... claws, fangs, scales, even wings. Their fighting style was savage and instinctive, a fusion of human intellect and primal ferocity."
"But binding soul? They must be crazy." Alice commented in her flat rone.
"Well, that's not wrong." Rainsister replied. "The bound beast's soul would indeed constantly vie for control. They often suffered a battle of wills within themselves. Causing them to lose control and do crazy actions. The churches suppressed them seriously during the later stage of the medieval era."
Jack internally noted this. Just as a reference. He had no interest being Beast Brawlers. He had his kamaitachi form, Racer Jack. A true mystical beast.
"There were several more. But let's just talk of one more class." Rainsister said. "An interesting class. Treasure Hunter."
"Treasure Hunters?" The twins asked simultaneously. Their flat tone changed... a little.
"Well, I'm not exactly sure whether it is already extinct or not. I suspect there are a few in the New Continent. But I hadn't heard one in Ourean Continent for almost three centuries."
"Did they hunt treasures?" Adam asked.
"Pretty much." Rainsister replied with a smile. "These hunters possessed an uncanny knack for treasures. Discovering ancient ruins, hidden vaults, and forgotten artifacts. But their true power actually lay in their ability to 'draw' spell cards directly from the treasures they found."
"These cards contained their magical inspiration related to the artifact they acquired. A Treasure Hunter's power was entirely reliant on their luck and cunning in finding magical loot. The ones who discovered many treasures would be very strong. Those who didn't, well... they would be pretty weak."
As Rainsister spoke, Jack's spectral hand continued its work. The runes on his grimoire pulsed. Absorbing the ambient magic of the gathering.
The grimoire page shimmered. The old [Past Echo] spell dissolved into raw magical potential. The new spell, [Transcendent Echo], replaced it. A final flash of faint green light erupted from his grimoire page.
The spell was complete. It evolved. Jack felt the power thrumming within it. A deep, resonant hum that promised untold clarity into the past. It was an evolution. Not just an upgrade.
And with that first successful, custom modification, a floodgate opened in Jack's mind. The intricate process. The merging of theory and practice. The link between logic and magic...
It sparked a cascade of new ideas in his mind. His brain began to conceptualize similar modifications for his other, weaker spells.