God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.

Tier: 0. (29/10,000) Ki points to the next Tier.

Description: An ancient magic has been discovered by the system within your soul, and has been forced out into the light. Use this magic to devour the essence of heaven and earth, and turn it into world-destroying fleshy might. When in use, 20 Ki points are plundered per hour.

Requirements: Can only be used when the host is not in battle mode. 200+ points in Magic, Strength, and Agility stats.

Cost: Consumes 10MP and 1 stamina point per minute.

***

Ki...

A mysterious energy source he had discovered not too long ago...

Inert Essence that is gotten from the very life source of the living...

An energy source much more powerful and rare than regular mana.

"The Ki you possesses is called the Dragon Gate\'s ki. Although it is still in the infant stage, it is still very powerful." Ashur explained.

"It is not only incredibly powerful, it is also incredibly violent. So violent, it can only be nurtured by extremely strong fleshy bodies."

"You acquired the {Dragon\'s Gate Ki Plundering Technique} not too long ago. Do you really think it was by accident? The strings of fate weave themselves into the carpet called destiny, and only the truly qualified have the right to walk atop it..."

Cain thought back to the time he got his Ki plundering technique.

All this time, he had never stopped using his ki plundering technique. He used it whenever he was away from the battle, allowing him to accumulate more than a thousand Ki points. However, because he had yet to find any use for this mysterious energy just building within him, he decided to leave it be...

Now, the Golden Dragon had finally shed some light on it, causing him to be filled with perplexion.

"To plunder Ki... It suggests to stealing it from the heavens and other creatures. Ki is just one of the many other forms of energy presenting the universe, but it is also one of the most powerful. The Dragon Gate\'s Ki is a type of Ki so powerful, mortals cannot begin to comprehend its power..."

Ashur spoke with an air of mystery as his voice became quieter and more surreal with each syllable.

During the battle with the devil army, a lot of Ki was released and in an environment filled with so much ki, the rate of ki plundering increased from 20 to 50Ki points per minute. All he needed to do was absorb 9,000 more Ki points.

"Right now, you have a few points of basic level Dragon Gate Ki, but it is barely enough. What you need to do is plunder more and more and more Ki and condensed it into your fleshy body using the {Dragon Gate\'s Ki Plundering Technique}.

"To attain the power you need right now, what you need to do is use the devil essence you absorbed just now to boost the power of your {Dragon\'s Gate Ki Plundering Technique}. It is called the Dragon\'s Gate because the difficulty of progressing in the technique is as hard as reaching the proverbial Dragon\'s Gate." Ashur said with a smile.

"Any questions?"

"What do I have to do once I upgrade the {Dragon\'s Gate Ki Plundering Technique}?"

"Good question... Your body right now is not strong enough to bear such strain, and you might lose your life if you attempt to absorb the energy too quickly. However, there is one way to gather the Ki without dying..." Ashur said, the smile still on his face.

"You will need a skill that can create a situation that encourages a violent flow of energy through your body without causing too much damage..."

Cain felt like a train had hit him...

"My golden blood skill just happens to fit the bill..." Cain said solemnly.

"That\'s good... However, remember that all great power comes at a cost, so be prepared in both body and soul." Ashur finished off with those words.

"Mana is more versatile and has a lot more uses and applications than Ki, but in terms of power, Ki reigns supreme. Right now, what you need isn\'t versatility, but power."

Cain has an expression of understanding as he fell into his thoughts. Right now, he had a lot of questions floating in his head...

It felt as though with every question of his that was answered, he became even more curious and uncertain with many more questions to ask.

"It seems like this is how long you will stay. You need to battle and grow stronger. While mana is more efficient, Ki is simply violent fleshy power that is nearly unstoppable. Remember this... Mana is not weaker than Ki. They just have their strengths and weaknesses."

Ashur stood up all of a sudden and expressed his desire to have Cain depart.

"Wait! I still have more questions!"

"Do you really think you have that liberty right now?" Ashur said in a hard voice.

Cain fell silent, his face having an unresigned expression on it.

"Whether you realize it or not... You are now a leader."

Cain\'s heart stopped for a bit as he tilted his head a little bit to stare at the face of the Golden Dragon.

"I\'m not the leader... Right now, everyone is free to do their own thing and I don\'t have any power over them."

"Being a leader is more than that... A leader doesn\'t ask for the respect of his followers, he earns it. Especially if his team is made up of a bunch of criminally insane hot-heads. Hahaha!" Ashur had a bit of reminiscent air around him as his laugh gradually died down.

A sad smile fell on his face as he spoke to Cain who still sat on the ground,

"Listen... In this war and sorrow-filled universe, you will need allies you can count on. You will meet all sorts of beings. Some might be neutral, some might show you kindness, while a majority will be full of evil and malice. Whether it suits their plans or not, these beings will lust after your life.

Not only is individual power very important, sometimes, regardless of how powerful you are, but the power of allies and an army will also be absolutely essential." In a serene voice unlike what he normally would use.

Cain felt himself gradually get lightheaded as the words of Ashur seemed to fade away into the distance...

"In a battle, especially in one regarding greater powers, numbers are absolutely essential. And the only way to acquire genuine comrades is by being genuine yourself. Do not hesitate or waver during battle. Be ready to give up your life in battle to protect the lives of your comrades... That is the... Way...

Of... A... Leader..."

Before he knew it, the same suction force that brought him here spat him out. He tunneled through the darkness and reappeared back in his body.

"How was it?" Susan who was leaning against a boulder on the ground said in a tired voice. An exhausted smile was on her face as she maintained the barrier of light that was now flickering violently.

"How long was I out?" Cain asked her, still feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Less than thirty seconds... You still have about four minutes left."

"I see..."

Turning to Susan who seemed only within an inch of her life,

"Are you alright?" Cain asked.

"I\'m fine... Just do what you have to do. Don\'t worry about-" Before she could complete her words, Cain was already placing his hand above her.

"Blood Regeneration..." Threads of Blood energy poured out of his fingertips and ran into the body of Susan, filling her with strength. Her cheeks turned rosy, and her breath quickened as she started at Cain in momentary shock.

He turned his other hand to Ruby who was still collapsed to the ground after she was attacked by J\'orntz. He didn\'t know why, but he had a feeling things with Ruby were more complicated than they seemed.

Seeing that the {Blood Regeneration} had no effects on Ruby, he turned his hand to David who had collapsed on the ground. The threads of blood formed at his fingertips traveled through the air and into David\'s body, providing him with much-needed vitality.

"Why?" was all Susan was able to say. To say she was surprised was an understatement.

"Why? Because you look like a ghost..." Cain raised a brow when he saw the crazy look she was giving him.

"Why are you bothered about us now?! Your priorities should be focused on defeating the {Flame Devil}! Don\'t bother with-"

"What good will it do me if you die?" Cain said quietly. His heart sped up a little as the words of Ashur played over and over in his head.

"But-!"

"Relax... I\'ve already figured something out. And healing you guys doesn\'t take much effort on my part." Cain assured her.

Leaving the perplexed and slightly blushing Susan alone, he sat back on the ground.

\'System, how do I use the devil essence?\'

A system pop-up suddenly filled his vision.

{You have chosen to use the devil essence to upgrade a skill or spell to the next tier}.

{Kindly select the ability of your choosing...}

Cain was immediately provided with a list of all his skills and spells. Looking at it, Cain was filled with a bit of nostalgia as his mind drifted back to the beginning of the nightmare and the first skills he possessed during that period.

He quickly selected the {Dragon\'s Gate Ki Plundering Technique} from the list, causing it to glow brilliantly.

A magical feeling came across his body as he took in a deep breath to fill his lungs. What followed next was excruciating pain, the likes of which he had never witnessed in his entire life. The violent Ki rushed into his body, tearing him apart in seconds...

{Congratulations to host... Your skill, {Dragon\'s Gate Ki Plundering Technique} has tiered up...}

{+100 to all stats...}

***

Tier: 1. (10,000/1,000,000) Ki points to the next Tier.

Description: An ancient magic has been discovered by the system within your soul, and has been forced out into the light. Use this magic to devour the essence of heaven and earth, and turn it into world-destroying fleshy might. When in use, 2,000 Ki points are plundered per hour.

Requirements: Can only be used when the host is not in battle mode. 500+ points in Magic, Strength, and Agility stats.

Cost: Consumes 1,000HP and 10 stamina points per hour.

***

All the Ki that had gathered in the air rushed into his body like a waterfall. The Ki was the leftover inert essence of all the devils that had perished during the battle, so not only was it bountiful, but it was also incredibly potent to Cain.

"Grrrrr!" However, Cain didn\'t yell or shout out due to the pain. He forced himself to swallow the pain by biting his top lip and drawing blood.

The energy needed an outlet, and fortunately for him, he knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Golden Blood..."