Bro, I'm not an Undead!

A distance from the stout mountain where a Penetrator was having illuminating thoughts, a certain large Limitless Body Null Demon Hound was standing on its two hind legs.r

Its body, adjusted for this fiendish look as always, was taking in thick bursts of pure mana from the verdant forest, its feet submerged in the mud.r

Over its Unliving Thread which formed a bulky mass over its skeletal structure, giving it a beefy visage, droplets of water could be seen. The humidity here was unreal.r

On its abdomen a red pulsing light kept lighting up and dimming, as it kept up the continuous production of Unliving Thread, the current version of this which could only reinforce the Hound physically.r

The Limitless Body Null Demon Hound had the capability to attain a new kind of Thread with every evolution but they all had a malleable nature to them by design.r

Ferex was playing around with this, along with the abilities he learned from a certain race of beings that would have become a problem if left to grow and worse yet...r

Escape their Cluster.r

The Bookworms.r

Unliving Thread spurned from the Hound's body, tangling and tying itself into uniform wisps that forged a book that was held within one of Ferex's hands.r

This was the Innate Holder that Ferex had used a combination of [Amorphous Sampling] and [GENIUS!] on in order to copy. The one belonging to the Bookworm known as Kotaman who used [Reinforcement Magic].r

Even with all this said however, only a few spells from the actual holder were replicated as the powers that the Bookworm race were too unique.r

Their continued existence could have triggered an evolution of Magecraft but sadly, that ship had sailed.r

The spells that Ferex had managed to salvage were...r

[Malleable Junk Cover], [Brutish Grunt's Gauntlet], [Firm Rage], [Boost] and [Edged Clunk].r

Three of these spells, which were represented by arrays on the pages of the book, were armours while the rest were spells geared towards enhancing physical attributes like strength and toughness.r

The convenience of using these was that there was no need to focus on casting, as the array produced the effect. Also, there was no cooldown or limited duration, as the only thing one needed to worry about was the supply of mana!r

Using one would be spectacular but for Ferex, his aim was to create a body that wasn't so easily susceptible to damage. A body apart from his Hound form that was capable of steadily dealing damage as well. His upright form wasn't that different from his original form, which was disheartening.r

His race was supposed to be innovative and clever but with only roughly nine days since his birth, the advent of these new ideas was quite slow.r

The Hound wanted to be more useful and to be true to the name of his race.r

And thus...r

WHOOSH...r

As mana coursed through his body, like splatters of light over its bulk, miniature arrays started to appear over its body!r

They appeared in the dozens at first, covering its limbs and then its torso, giving a harshly powerful reinforcement!r

With enough mana, Ferex could create an unlimited number of arrays over his body, continuously compounding something like the simple array [Boost] which granted him a 10% to all his stats on top of himself to give a theoretically limitless boost in power.r

Alas, it wasn't that simple.r

A level up was required as Ferex was yet to fully coordinate the resources and power needed to create something like that, but it was only a matter of time.r

Despite the obstacles, despite its FLAW that demanded a RESET after each and every intense fight that Ferex was involved in, erasing all his skills and experiences in the process... he would find a way.r

The lit sockets of the creature turned to the distance.r

A 'veteran' Apostle was working hard to ensure he remained relevant as well.r

Well, Ferex was doing the same thing, hoping he would remain useful.r

***r

"This is not all your father can offer, is it? In my... proud opinion, this is the epitome of tasteless junk masquerading as the classy touch of a rich home," a young looking woman with long navy blue hair said with an unimpressed gaze.r

The two ladies that sat on couches at both her sides, their hair also having varying shades of blue, merely nodded in agreement as their opinion was not required. Only concurrence was needed of them.r

These two ladies were donning long, white dresses with a turquoise blue coloured insignia of a sea horse-like symbol with white spots going through it. The addition of these glorified holes honestly gave it an appearance akin to fancy cheese but no one cared.r

This pious dressing was in stark contrast to how the woman who had just spoken was dressed however, which was surprising.r

"I'm sorry if the mansion doesn't meet your standards but we can't tear it down and build a new one when the city is already packed with visitors here for the event."r

Opposite the three women, sat a man with brown hair made into a quiff, his handsome face which had a generic, yet traditional masculine jawline, showing a fierce determination that refused to buckle under the weight of the status of this woman.r

This man was the Governor's son and even if the woman before him, with all her sexual and intellectual charm, fought back against his authority, he wouldn't budge.r

"You're quite stubborn for someone who came here to advise against my participation in the Premium Age Royale. If you don't want me to participate, why don't you start by showing a little... favouritism?" the woman with the navy blue hair said with an alluring smile, her body leaning in as she crossed her legs, which were barely hidden by the skirt she wore.r

The man opposite her breathed out without allowing his gaze to wander. That would be...disastrous.r

"The Kinn Family is an important part of Pelian. If needed, I doubt it would truly be hard for your Family to be made into the seventh House. No other bloodline on the continent has the capability to continuously produce Energy Formers without fail. Your Family is essentially the largest producer of Healers in Aigas. So yes, your participation in a death game as the Head of the Family is not advised. There's too much risk."r

A smile crept on the woman's face.r

Amusing.r

"What if it's the thrill of risk I want? Not from retarded bands of assassins that want to wipe out my entire line or from some horny fuck who wants me to birth a 'special' child for their Family. I want to taste something uniquely dangerous," the woman said.r

"Why don't you challenge Aurolio Velanqi then? Isn't he the most powerful man you could ever fight at your level?" the young man asked with a brow raised, hints of frustration surfacing through his voice.r

"That's a different kind of risk," the woman said with a bored sigh. "A duel is too ordinary. That's why I look forward to fighting him in the Royale. 'Fight' is a bit much. Maybe I'll poke. I don't want to die after all."r

At that moment, a dog rushed into the room, leaping into this woman of repute's arms.r

It had black, silky fur and lanky ears that dropped from the sides of its head. r

Its tail wagged as it barked with joy at its master who patted its head but with far less enthusiasm.r

The young man was distracted by the strange affection between the Head of the Kinn Family and her dog for a second before he asked once again...r

"So I cannot dissuade you from this?"r

"You cannot. Unless..." the woman said as her gaze then turned to the ceiling and the walls, "... you tear down the walls, that Quintess forsaken ceiling and replace it all with a wall of attractive, well endowed nude men instead. Yes, that would be eccentric enough. A better start to our discussion."r