A Background Character’s Path to Power Chapter 445: The Nature of the Bond

Gazing at the radiant blue panel floating in my consciousness, a rush of doubt suddenly overwhelmed me.

I was deeply skeptical that this flawless enhancement came about by pure chance.

The moment it appeared was far too opportune.

The Absolute Synthesis Well served as the ideal instrument for me to endure and flourish amid this turbulent, void-tainted domain.

Although the technique adhered to a sensible advancement route, I firmly believed the System was discreetly manipulating events from the shadows. It mirrored its typical tactics precisely.

’...’

An icy notion emerged in my thoughts.

It seemed the System had probably foreseen my entry into the Nightmare Realm well in advance.

This insight revived the most frightening inquiries I held deep inside.

Precisely what constituted the System?

Who or whatever entity controlled it from afar?

Was I truly an Inheritor akin to Cassandra, or something different?

I fixed my gaze on the digital display, hunting for any hints.

The azure interface stayed utterly mute, providing no insights whatsoever, just as always.

’Suit yourself.’

With a subdued exhale, I reluctantly shoved the grand enigma to the recesses of my mind.

The reality lay well outside my present grasp.

For now, this enigmatic force was aiding my survival and bolstering my strength.

Clearing my head with a shake, I directed my attention lower in the profile pane toward the ’Affinities’ area.

A triumphant grin crept across my face. My Ice and Fire affinities had advanced considerably, now firmly established at Grade 7.

My Darkness affinity had likewise progressed to that identical level not long ago. This enormous surge owed itself completely to my recent pact with Nemo. Prior to the frantic clash with Bane, the Nightmare Devourer had yielded a vital fragment of his core essence to me through our agreement. Absorbing that untainted abyssal power had propelled my darkness control to Grade 6 by force, and the subsequent bonding elevated it to Grade 7.

Even my frail Void affinity had steadied itself and risen to Grade 4. Such progress would greatly simplify the practice of teleportation alongside other void-based arts and abilities.

A gentle laugh escaped me in the hushed chamber.

’I wonder whether I might rouse every element throughout the world and elevate them to the pinnacle grade someday?’

I was already aware of a potent approach to make it happen. By forging bonds with mighty creatures that embodied matching elements, I could ignite and refine the corresponding affinities inside me. It appeared an impeccable plan to seize ultimate dominance.

Yet... my grin gradually diminished.

Still, I ought not to feel so assured about it.

In truth, that seamless elemental exchange had transpired without flaw solely with Sereniel. The link with him represented a total soul harmony. It embodied the most refined and supreme form of connection achievable.

Conversely, my tie to Nemo differed markedly.

It resembled a pact more closely, with us positioned as equals. It formed a reciprocal pact for endurance instead of a full fusion of essences. Owing to this limitation, the elemental exchange and essence transfer proved far less potent.

I could not depend on such balanced pacts to readily cap my upcoming affinities at their peak, except in cases like Sereniel or those bestowed by the system.

On that note...

I selected the bonds section and accessed Nemo’s display.

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[ THE NIGHTMARE DEVOURER ]

Name: Nemo

Race: Nightmare Beast

Affinity: Darkness | Void | Mind

Innate Rank/Potential: Mythical Tier

Current Rank: Peak Overlord

Bond Affinity: ★★⯪☆☆

◈ Abilities/Powers

◈ Special Bond Ability

◈ Shared Powers

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My gaze lingered briefly on the bond affinity.

2 and a half stars...

It represented a plainly mediocre score, balanced right at the center of the spectrum. This struck me as entirely logical. We had partnered for merely one week. Moreover, I had basically imposed this link on him driven by desperate need. It utterly missed the profound, voluntary soul tie I enjoyed with Sereniel at the Eclipse Keep.

Nevertheless, a spark of astonishment stirred within me. The affinity had begun at precisely two stars immediately post-battle. It had climbed by a half star since.

That likely stemmed from the events of this day.

I remembered our intense, theatrical reunion in the courtyard before. That fleeting instant of true solace must have fortified our bond. Simultaneously, the gain remained rather modest. My sharp remarks and stern rebuke right after probably stifled much of the potential increase.

I gave a soft shake of my head.

’No matter. I don’t regret what I said. It was also necessary anyway.’

We have ample opportunity to build familiarity moving forward.

With a mental click, I accessed the ’Abilities/Powers’ section, revealing the elaborate array of the Mythical-tier creature’s natural talents.

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▸ Absolute Umbrakinesis (*) – Sovereign authority over shadows, darkness, and abyssal energy. Capable of solidifying shadows into indestructible constructs, devouring light, and dissolving physical matter into the void.

▸ Reality-Negation Field (Black Dome) – Projects a localized domain of absolute darkness. Within this space, the laws of physics and ambient aura are severely suppressed, granting the Devourer absolute territorial dominance.

▸ Nightmare Consumption – Feeds directly on the mental energy, deepest fears, and aura of its targets. It uses these stolen fragments to sustain itself, heal injuries, and project terrifying mental illusions.

▸ Ethereal Voidform – Possesses a shifting, semi-immaterial body made of pure abyss, granting:

- Physical Nullification: Conventional physical attacks and brute force pass harmlessly through its form.

- Shadow Phasing: Grants the ability to sink into any shadow and traverse through the void for instantaneous repositioning.

....

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Nothing had altered, it seemed.

With another head shake, I selected the shared power section.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

◈ Shared Powers

▸ Shadow Phasing: You can utilize Nemo’s innate ability to sink into and travel between connected shadows. The effectiveness heavily depends on your Void and Darkness affinity mastery.

▸ Foresight (Fragment): Allows the Nightmare Devourer to tap into your unique cognitive ability. Nemo gains a fraction of your predictive combat instincts, significantly increasing its reaction speed and situational awareness during battles.

▸ Evolved Darkness Affinity: Your inherent Darkness Affinity advanced to Grade 7, granting you comprehensive control over shadows, aura suppression, and minor void constructs.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

’Hmmm.’

I examined the second shared ability closely.

A abrupt insight struck me. This clarified why our bond affinity remained firm even after my severe reprimand in the courtyard.

Nemo carried a piece of my Foresight. He undoubtedly detected the identical ominous sense of certain doom emanating from the Mistress at that time. The massive wolf understood my abrupt chill as a deliberate maneuver to preserve his existence.

Even so, he embodied a inherently wary and suspicious beast shaped by the savage wilderness. Securing his full allegiance would demand considerable time and demonstrated deeds.

It aligned perfectly with expectations.

Yet, the identical reasoning extended to myself.

I declined to place unwavering trust in him.

He needed to solidly demonstrate his value and nature ahead before I would view him as a genuine, dependable ally.

A mere agreement fell short of ensuring unquestioning confidence in a hunter of his caliber.

Setting aside those weighty considerations, I redirected my focus to the shimmering display.

One last, eagerly awaited section remained for inspection. I clicked mentally on the ’Special Bond Ability’ area, observing as an elaborate description unfolded in view.

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[SPECIAL BOND ABILITY]

« Eclipse Domain »

"A synchronized manifestation of the Nightmare Devourer’s power. You and your bond temporarily merge your auras to cast a targeted and evolved Reality-Negation Field, blanketing the battlefield in absolute darkness and suppressing all enemies within."

◈ Activation Requirements:

· Mutual agreement and shared intent between both parties.

· A massive expenditure of Aura from both you and Nemo.

· ★★ Bond Affinity (Minimum)

◈ Activation Method:

· Vocal Command: "Devour the light." (Optional)

· Mental Trigger: Simultaneous synchronization of killing intent.

◈ Duration:

· Base: 1-2 minutes.

· Maximum duration heavily depends on your combined Aura reserves.

◈ Cooldown:

· Moderate (e.g., 24-48 hours), depending on the scale of the domain used.

◈ Benefits:

· Enemies trapped inside suffer severe Aura Suppression and sensory deprivation.

· Both you and Nemo gain enhanced spatial awareness and mobility within the dome.

· Your Darkness and Void affinities receive a temporary massive boost.

◈ Drawbacks:

· Equal Toll: The Aura drain is split equally. If one runs out of energy, the domain collapses, causing both to suffer heavy backlash.

· Mental Strain: Prolonged exposure to the Devourer’s raw psychic energy risks temporary mental instability or hallucinations.

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