Nathan looked at the doll in his hands.

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Will of the People (Incomplete State) Lvl 132: An Animus assembled by the Soul Architect will attempting to repair a Class. The wishes and desires of those intimately involved in the fate of Randidly Ghosthound’s Class have helped shape this Animus. Due to the high potency of these desires, something was created from nothing. Due to the insufficient Level of the Soul Architect, the Animus was not fully completed, but it will serve as an effective blueprint.

While being held, Skills related to Randidly Ghosthound are easier to learn. Warning, prolonged exposure to the Animus will result in strange Paths becoming available to the holder. While being held, all regenerations are increased by 50%.

“Holy shit,” Nathan muttered. Hastily, he set the strange doll back on the ground. More than anyone else, Nathan understood how powerful a named Animus could be. The few that he had seen had completely changed the final Class of the individual. But what made Nathan extremely nervous was that even though a Level 132 Animus had been created from nothing, it was still in an incomplete state.

If I had been a high enough Level… just what sort of Animus would have condensed…? And also… Nathan looked over the shattered remnants of his seven gemstones. Even more intimidating, there are three others...

Of the original seven elemental foci, only sapphire and beryl remained unbroken. Amethyst had been cut in half, but it might still be usable. And what remained…

Nathan walked over and touched the three other Animai on the ground.

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Weight of the Crown (Incomplete State) Lvl 172: An animus condensed from the image of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Its powerful spirit has infused the emerald, but it is limited by the quality of the item and the Level of the Soul Architect who made it.

While being held, all biological life will listen to the holder. Experience gain is increased by 13%.

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Mandate of God (Incomplete State) Level 154: An Animus condensed from the image of the Grim Chimera. A dark energy fills the Animus. Resentment spreads outward at all times. Due to the insufficient materials and Level of the Soul architect, the result is imperfect.

While being held, all effects that would reduce Health will be increased by 20%.

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Heart of an Empire (Incomplete State) Level 153: An Animus condensed from the evolving image of the Ignition Essence. From deep within the stone, a burning heart of fire beats. As it continues to live, it approaches its final form. Due to the low Level of the Soul Architect, this Animus will never achieve the evolution that may occur in the image that inspired it.

While being held, Skill Levels are slightly easier to gain. While being held, items produced have a small chance of obtaining bonus effects.

After examining all four of the Animai, Nathan was speechless. Each was a priceless treasure. They were the four highest Leveled items that Nathan had ever seen. All of them would be used to reinforce Randidly’s Class. Nathan couldn’t help but wonder, Just what sort of results will occur when so much power is concentrated in one place…? In one person?

“You alright?” Randidly asked.

Nathan nodded slowly. He had always known that Randidly was… different. After all, Randidly had allowed Nathan to view his Class at the start of this process. While most people’s Classes appeared to Nathan’s Soul Architect gaze as ladders leading upward, Randidly’s was a towering lighthouse that was wreathed in a maelstrom.

What was even more disturbing was the obvious damage that had been inflicted at the top of Randidly’s Class, completely dispersing that maelstrom of energy. What could have caused such vicious damage…?

Yet even so, the final forms of the Animai…

Nathan winced. “Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy that these will be consumed to help repair your Class. And I can’t wait to see the result. But I’ll need some time to recover before I can infuse them into you.”

Chuckling, Randidly nodded and turned away. “That’s fine. I’m going to work on some Engraving, just let me know when you are ready.”

True to his word, Randidly conjured a wooden worktable and a bench and sat down. With a wave of his hand, he produced a half dozen basic copper bracers that he began to Engrave patterns upon. The bright azure light of Mana burned traces into Nathan’s eyes as he watched fascinated for several seconds.

Relieved to have some time to recover, Nathan moved some distance away from the disturbing Animai and sat down in meditation to recover his Mana. Which was just in time, because Nathan wasn’t sure how much longer he could have remained standing; the process of condensing the Animai had completely gassed him.

After settling down for a few seconds and settling into his breathing, only of Nathan’s eyes fluttered open. He regarded Randidly’s back for several seconds before forcing himself to concentrate and stimulate his Mana and Stamina.

In the past, Nathan had ‘reinforced’ almost two dozen people’s Classes in order to provide for them an easier time condensing a Fate. Generally, the issue he encountered wasn’t one of repairing a Class, but of upgrading a Class to a passable Level. Generally, these people were some of the first to get a Class and had chosen a rather generic option. After all, those first groups didn’t understand the value in increasing their Skill Levels and taking Paths in preparation for a Class.

The Classes they received were almost completely random or based on their prior life.

However, just like with Randidly’s current situation, the issue in these individuals was that Nathan could feel the lack of complexity and purpose in the Classes. At the time they had started, they had no idea what they were doing. By creating Animai, Nathan could add some additional focus that would give people a better chance with their Fate.

But the previous Animai that Nathan had seen weren’t anything close to this. Even setting aside their mind-boggling Level, no other Animai Nathan had seen possessed an effect other than serving as an Animai. Yet all four of these had extremely powerful effects. Powerful effects that manifested while they were incomplete products.

...Randidly can be kinda scary sometimes… Nathan thought as he glanced surreptitiously over at Randidly.

Definitely, these would add the missing momentum back into Randidly’s Class. It might be weakened somewhat by the fact Nathan hadn’t brought sufficient materials, but it would be more than enough.

It had to be. Nathan had given out quite a few reinforced Classes and created some tailor-made Classes while in East End in order to get Sydney to grudgingly part with the elemental crystals. This was the first time he had used such high-quality foci and he was looking forward to the result.

But thinking about the crystals brought a pang of loss to Nathan’s heart. Just like that, four are gone, and one is cut in half… but if it’s for Randidly, it will be worth it.

It took Nathan almost a full hour, even with several Mana potions, to restore himself to his peak state. The entire time, Randidly stood at his worktable and calmly Engraved. After each bracer he finished, Randidly considered the bracer for almost a full minute. His fingers danced across the piece of armor, using even his metallic left arm with an almost human grace to delicately weigh his creation.

Then, inevitably, Randidly would store away the finished bracer in his interspatial ring and move on to the next. He took no breaks. His eyes never wavered. The azure light from his fingers never dimmed.

Finally, Nathan stood. “Alright, I’m ready.”

Randidly just smiled widely at him.

*****

The Soul Architect has used his special Skill, “Class Evolution” on you! Your Class responds! Your Animai are being consumed in order to evolve your Class!

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Will of the People (Incomplete State) is being consumed...

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Weight of the Crown (Incomplete State) is being consumed...

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Mandate of God (Incomplete State) is being consumed...

Animus of Randidly Ghosthound: Heart of an Empire (Incomplete State) is being consumed…

Calculating…

Resonance detected… Warning! Some Skills are close to evolution. Consuming energy in order to evolve Skills may lead to sickness, unconsciousness, or death. Please proceed to the nearest Village Spirit for more information.

Although the Animai are incomplete, they provide a sufficient blueprint for moving forward!

Your Class has not evolved! However, new meaning surges through your Class. Warning! It appears your Class was previously damaged. Due to previous damage to the Class, the next Level you receive will provide no Stat benefits. However, after that Level, all Class benefits will return to normal!

Congratulations! If you continue to Level, you shall eventually receive a hidden benefit from this attempted Class evolution!

Randidly smiled wryly. It was somewhat frustrating that he would miss out on Class benefits for even a single Level, but when he examined his Class it was clear that the something intangible was present that wasn’t there previously. It might not have been restored to what it had been prior to the damage, but it would be enough.

It took a while to explain to Nathan, however; the kid looked absolutely devastated that there hadn’t been any change to his Class. So much so that Randidly didn’t mention the fact that he would miss a Level’s worth of Stats from the damage, even with the foci. There was no point in torturing him. Randidly did feel rather bad about consuming so many of the gems that Nathan had brought.

Clapping Nathan on the back, Randidly thanked him profusely while he wondered if he would have time to Level to 50 and obtain a Fate before the Judgment. While he was considering, he returned back to the construction site of the moving city.

But soon that question was pushed to the side for more immediate concerns. There was simply too much to do.