I let out a hum as I slowly drew a magic circle on the ground using some red paint mixed with my blood, a satisfied smirk on my face as I did so.
Having successfully returned back to my timeline, quite awhile before Beacon Academy started up, I'd decided the first thing I needed to do was obtain my weapon and also the ability to use Magic. I was so used to magic that not having it moving through my body just felt wrong.
Luckily, as someone who had travelled to countless other worlds, I knew exactly how to do it… I would simply become a Blazer.
Hailing from the world of Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry- also known as Chivalry of a Failed Knight- Blazers were beings who could manifest their soul as armour and were born with magic power. One's magic power was set from birth, and only one in a thousand were capable of becoming a Blazer.
However, I'd long since conquered that world and studied the secrets of Blazers. I knew how to artificially awaken someone's magic power, as well as transform them into a Blazer. Normally I would need Magic to do so, however my Aura- a Soul Energy- would also work as a Blazer's weapon came from their soul.
I smirked as I finished drawing the circle and took a seat in the middle of it… I was very fortunate that neither Ozma, Salem, nor the Summer Maiden were in Vacuo around this time, or I wouldn't have dared to do this in my own apartment.
I took a deep breath as I placed my hands on the circle, invoking my aura and letting it pour into the circle… It mingled with my lifeblood- a connection to my physical body- with my soul infusing and empowering it…
I felt as though electricity were travelling through my arms, straight to my brain and then into my very soul… But even so, I kept it going with a smile on my face… How long had it been since I'd felt pain over something so mundane and minor? It felt amazing!
Finally, I felt it… The familiar rush of power through my body, setting in my chest as though it were a second heart… Only back in time for four hours, and I once again had magic.
I took a breath as I slowly stood up, the magic circle dissipating into nothingness. The pain was a subpar catalyst, even when mixed with my blood. However, it sufficed for a single use which was all I required… And now, I was a Blazer once more.
I lifted my hand, clenching it a few times before I held my palm open. "Varunastra."
My hand glowed before a blood red cube formed above my palm, floating above it and rotating slowly over it.
This was my weapon, Varunastra. Named after a weapon from Indian scripture, wielded by the God Varuna. It was a weapon of water that could turn into any weapon that Varuna desired.
While mine didn't have the 'water' aspect, it did have the capability of changing into any weapon I pleased… Except for firearms, those were currently too 'complicated' for Varunastra to change into. I would have to upgrade my weapon by imbuing it with other related abilities like a Zanpakuto once again… But I was in no rush, all I had to do was what I could.
[Ugh… My head hurts like a bitch.] A feminine voice bemoaned within my mind.
My eyes widened in surprise at the sound of it before I grinned happily… After all, that was the voice of Varunastra… Or, as I liked to call her, Ethel. After Varunastra had obtained the abilities of a Zanpakuto, it had manifested its own proper form within my soul. In my case, it had manifested in the appearance of a familiar character from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 known as Ethel.
Sadly, I hadn't been able to speak with her once those chains had been put on my body and locked away my divinity and powers… Otherwise, Ethel would have been able to figure out a way to get us out of that situation without needing the Time Shredder.
"I'd imagine it would," I responded. "After all, you just got a lot fucking weaker in a short amount of time… I'm surprised you're even still manifested, but I'm certainly not going to complain that you're with me Ethel."
[You'd better not…] She groaned. [Ugh, I feel so weak compared to how we were… Those fucking bastard gods… Locking me away from you, my other half…! Please tell me that we're not going to let them get away with that?]
"Of course not," I scoffed. "But, for now, I'm nowhere near as strong as I used to be. So, for now, our focus is going to be on this world and using it to get as strong as possible."
[Right… Sounds good.] She agreed, taking a moment to get her bearings. [What's the plan?]
"In this world, I'll be able to obtain four things," I told her. "The first two will be obtained together- The First Flame, and Poison Immunity."
[You can obtain the First Flame here?] She asked in surprise, and I couldn't blame her for being shocked.
The Four Flames were the four most powerful fires in the Multiverse. Even Gods of Fire couldn't match the Four Flames with their most intense heat, that was how powerful the Four Flames were.
The First Flame- The Eight-Trigrams Urn Fire- was the most 'normal' of the flames. Unlike the remaining three flames, the first flame was simply an intensely powerful flame that could burn with the fury of a thousand suns. It did have some regenerative powers under the right conditions, but those were few and far between. While simple in ability, its power could not be denied, and it had earned its place among the Four Flames through sheer power.
While normally this flame would be incredibly difficult to obtain… I had learned of a secret way to obtain this flame, and also obtain Poison Immunity at the same time. I had been unable to obtain Poison Immunity in my previous life, due to the fact that I had already obtained the First Flame by the time I learned of the method to obtain Poison Immunity and the First Flame together. Otherwise, I would have absolutely performed the method in my first life.
Luckily, with this do-over, now I could obtain an immunity to poisons. Poison was definitely one of my biggest weaknesses, especially godly level poisons and curses as I simply had little to no resistance. With Poison Immunity, when I fought the gods again, they wouldn't be able to weaken me during the battle like they had last time.
[What else is on the list?] Ethel asked me. [Poison Immunity, the First Flame… You mentioned two more.]
"Next on the list would be the Crystal Heart," I told her, humming softly. "Very important to obtain that after I get the First Flame, since that's when its effects are most prominent."
The Crystal Heart's name was a bit deceiving as its powers were related to ice rather than crystal. The Crystal Heart would temper and strengthen my body and my internal organs with the power of ice, making my bones harder than steel and toughening up all of my internal organs and what damages they could endure. This would make obtaining other, more dangerous abilities much easier down the line since my body would be able to endure it.
Plus, the Crystal Heart and the First Flame- despite being opposite elements- were actually very compatible. The crystal heart increased the properties of the First Flame, and also began to build the path towards the Second Flame. Meanwhile, the First Flame synchronised with the Crystal Heart and used its heat to further temper the body and enhance the effects of the Crystal Heart.
With the Crystal Heart, the First Flame, and Poison Immunity alone, plus Varunastra… I'd essentially be unstoppable on Remnant. I'd be confident even if the Brother Gods returned since they weren't Multiverse Level Gods, mere Planetary Level. And I'd killed them so many times, it was funny.
[Hm…] Ethel hummed. [Poison Immunity, the First Flame, the Crystal Heart… The last one… Perhaps the Fragment of Thunderbolt?]
I grinned. "Spot on," I complimented her. "Glad to see your ability to make deductions, while weakened a bit, is still strong my dear."
The Fragment of Thunderbolt. The last ability I would be able to obtain from Remnant. It was weaker than the First Flame, but that didn't make the ability any less powerful. The Fragment of Thunderbolt- as you might expect- allowed the user to wield lightning on a level that would make Zeus green with envy. As far as Lightning went, it was one of the strongest abilities within the multiverse. Few things were able to surpass it in terms of raw power and versatility.
Even better, it had 'lesser' requirements to obtain it than the First Flame. By no means was it easy of course, but I'd long since learned of ways to obtain it, why should I not go for an easy method when I had everything that I needed to access it on this planet? I had monsters with elemental attributes- Grimm- and elemental energy in physical form- Dust.
The only downside to everything was that, for everything, I would require a lot of dust… However, I had been a Treasure Hunter in Vacuo before I'd started at Shade Academy in my first life, and I knew where quite a few abandoned labs with the Dust Supplies I would need- at least for the First Flame- were present.
[The First Flame… Crystal Heart… Poison Immunity… And Fragment of Thunderbolt…] Ethel hummed, and I could feel her face split into a grin. [As expected of you, Rain. You don't aim low… With those four abilities, even some of the weaker Gods would hesitate before trying to challenge you.]
"That's the idea," I smirked. "Compile a list of poisonous Grimm present in Vacuo's desert, along with any Grimm that have abilities based on fire like the Salamandra. Poison and Fire, those are the two things I'll need in order to obtain my first two abilities."
[And sadly, we don't have much money at the moment, so hunting yourself will have to do… Where will you obtain the flames though? You'll be vulnerable while you do it, after all.]
"I know of a secret Oasis outside of the city," I shrugged. "I carefully hid it when I discovered it so that people wouldn't go there. I use it as my relaxation spot when I needed to get away from city life… Especially with Crown running amok, I have no interest in getting excessively involved in Vacuo's affairs… Even if Carmine is really hot."
[Not going to just rape her and have an inside woman in crown before you go?] Ethel asked. [That's somewhat unlike you.]
"I could do that," I nodded. "But raping her at the moment, and probably even after I get the First Flame and Poison Immunity, just isn't worth the annoyance it would cause. Besides, I can always just teleport back to town and rape her while I'm at Beacon. I'm going to need to warp to Atlas anyway since that's where I can get some ice-based Grimm products for refining the Crystal Heart…"
I let out a sigh of frustration as I realised something. "It's a shame that there aren't that many lightning based Grimm and I'll have to rely mostly on Dust for the Fragment of Thunderbolt. That's going to be an annoyance to work past…"
[Indeed. Dust is in large supply as an elemental energy source, but the very refined and powerful dust is hidden in the deepest parts of the Earth… You'll need a large amount of Dust in order to make up for the fact that the ones with the highest purity aren't things you can get until you get an Earth based power.]
"Eh, I'll make it work," I shrugged. "For now, get me the list of poisonous grimm in the desert. I can't remember off the top of my head, but you can dig out the memories I've long since forgotten and tell me which grimm parts I can use."
[I'll get right on it.] She nodded and I could feel her starting to rummage through my memories for information.
I grinned slowly…
It was time to start walking the path to ascension once more.