[Lust Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 17%]

[Living Arts: 20%]

[Primal Soul: 20%]

[Elder Arts: 10%]

Damain stared at the current state of his rejuvenation progress, his gaze lingering on the modest percentage. For all the abilities he had awakened, all the power he had gained, only seventeen percent of the tree had been restored.

It made him pause and wonder just how much further he could go. How much stronger he could become.

"Alright... I guess we are focusing on Elder Arts this time," Damain said, a faint spark of anticipation lighting his eyes.

So far, that branch had given him abilities that were anything but ordinary.

"Fine... here goes nothing."

He exhaled slowly and began pouring in his talent points.

Ten... twenty... thirty...

Ding!

[Lust Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 19%]

[Living Arts: 20%]

[Primal Soul: 20%]

[Elder Arts: 20%]

[Doppelganger Skill Unlocked]

[Name: Doppelganger]

[Type: Active]

[Description: Creates a clone of yourself, dividing your capabilities among all existing instances. The more clones created, the more your strength is distributed, weakening each individual form.]

"Okay... not bad... not bad..." Damain murmured, beginning to clap without realizing it.

This was not just good. It was terrifyingly good.

The potential behind this ability stretched far beyond simple combat. With the weight of responsibilities pressing down on him from every direction, this was exactly the kind of skill he needed.

"If I have a clone handle things for me... will it still grant me experience?" Damian asked, his tone thoughtful.

"Of course," Rin replied with a nod as it climbed up onto him, settling comfortably on his shoulder. "You share in its limitations, so it is only natural you share in its rewards."

Damian acknowledged the answer with a distracted nod, his eyes still fixed on the description before him.

"That makes sense..." he said absentmindedly.

Satisfied, he continued.

Forty... fifty... sixty... seventy... eighty... ninety... one hundred.

Ding!

[Wild Unlocked!]

[Name: Wild]

[Type: Active]

[Description: Allows you to manifest the inner beast of your primal soul into the physical realm, creating an avatar that fights alongside you.]

"Oh?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Damian’s brows lifted slightly, caught off guard by the description.

His thoughts drifted instantly to his battle with his wives. He remembered clearly how Ruby had manifested her power, shaping it into a massive serpent that forced him to counter with his white flames.

"Is this the same thing?" he asked.

"Yes," Rin answered simply.

Damain closed his eyes and activated the skill.

At once, a low, resonant growl echoed from deep within him.

It was not sound, it was presence and it came the pressure.

A swelling force surged through his body, violent and unrestrained, as though his demonic energy was clawing its way outward. His eyes burned with a brilliant violet glow as the power gathered beyond control.

Boom!

Black and purple aura erupted from him, twisting together like living threads as his body was lifted into the air.

The energy moved with purpose and wove itself into form.

Layer by layer, it shaped something vast. When it settled, Damian found himself suspended within it.

It was a massive three-tailed fox towering over fifteen feet, standing on all fours, its presence radiating a raw, untamed ferocity that bent the very air around it.

"It feels... strange..." Damian muttered. "I can feel it. I understand it. It understands me. But I am not the one controlling it."

"Of course," Rin replied calmly. "That is the point. It allows you to observe the battle from a higher perspective and act accordingly."

Damian nodded slowly, taking it in. Then, just as quickly, he released the skill.

The massive form collapsed into streams of energy that surged back toward him, flooding into his body until not a single trace remained outside.

The sensation was familiar. It was no different from summoning Rin.

Just... wilder.

It was a reflection of Rin stripped of restraint, incapable of speech, driven purely by instinct and aggression.

[Wild Deactivated]

"This ability is actually worth every single one of the seventy points it cost me," Damian admitted, his tone carrying quiet satisfaction.

Rin gave a small nod.

"In terms of value, I believe Doppelganger and Wild are the most significant abilities you unlocked today. One extends its usefulness both within and beyond the battlefield, while the other is confined to combat but grants overwhelming dominance in both offense and defense. In my opinion, they stand on equal ground."

Damian found himself agreeing without hesitation. His thoughts began to race, weaving through countless possibilities, especially those tied to the Doppelganger skill.

"I will save the remaining twenty-four points until I reach a full hundred," Damian declared.

He had no intention of spending them carelessly and risking a meaningless outcome. It was better to accumulate a large pool and invest all at once. That way, something worthwhile was almost guaranteed.

With that decision made, Damian left the inner realm and returned to his body, allowing himself to sink into rest.

___ Wednesday Morning ___

Damian’s eyes snapped open, his expression calm yet alert.

A slow smile spread across his face as he sat up, then swung himself off the bed with a lightness that carried the excitement of a child who had just been handed something new and powerful.

Without wasting a moment, he moved to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and then stepped into the dressing room.

Standing before the mirror, he watched his reflection closely.

[Doppelganger Skill Activated]

Ah!

His body reacted instantly.

The right side jerked in one direction while the left twisted in the opposite, as though something unseen had seized him and begun pulling him apart. Before he could even process what was happening, the separation deepened.

It felt as though his very being was being torn in two.

His form stretched unnaturally, each half pulling away as missing aspects were violently forced into existence, filling the gaps as the split completed itself.

Huff!

Damian exhaled sharply, clutching his chest as the process ended.

The sensation had been brief but it was intense and deeply unpleasant.

For the first time since awakening his powers, he had used an ability that genuinely felt wrong.

"Of course... something this good would come with a price," Damian muttered, his voice strained as he pressed a hand against his throbbing head.

The pain lingered like something had been pounding against his skull for hours without pause.

"The world really has a way of reminding you that nothing comes free," he hissed under his breath, steadying himself as he tried to adjust to what he had just experienced.