Chapter 497: Enhancement (1)

Bruce finished the final stroke of the Enhancement Seal and watched as the ink flowed across Kael’s skin. Unlike ordinary ink, it did not remain on the surface. The moment the final line connected, the markings seemed to lose their physical quality, sinking gradually into Kael’s soul-body as though his flesh had become porous.

The ink spread only a short distance before settling into a compact, clear pattern beneath the surface. It was subtle enough that it could easily be mistaken for a natural marking, but Bruce knew it would remain visible for as long as the seal continued functioning. The inscription had successfully taken hold.

At almost the same moment, Bruce felt the cost of the technique being drawn from his reserves. Roughly ten percent of his available energy disappeared into the completed inscription. It was considerably more expensive than an air-committed seal, which required him to establish the effect directly in the surrounding environment, but the expenditure was far from excessive.

Ten percent was manageable, especially considering the advantage the seal could provide during their hunt. If the enhancement lasted for the duration described in the manual, it would more than justify the cost.

Kael blinked several times before turning his head slowly from one side to the other. His expression gradually changed as his newly enhanced perception began processing information that had previously existed beyond the limits of his senses.

The difference was immediately obvious to Bruce. Kael was no longer merely looking at the Deepwood around them. He was perceiving it on a deeper level, detecting the subtle currents of ambient energy moving between the trees, sensing fluctuations in the surrounding atmosphere, and distinguishing details that had previously been nothing more than vague impressions. For the duration of the seal, his perception had temporarily been elevated to roughly the same level as Bruce’s own.

"Oh," Kael finally said, his voice carrying genuine surprise. He looked toward the distant trees and then back toward his own hands as if trying to understand everything his senses were suddenly telling him. "That is a lot more information."

Bruce nodded. "How long can you hold it?"

"I don’t know." Kael remained still for several seconds, deliberately testing the unfamiliar sensation instead of immediately moving on. "It feels stable. More importantly, it feels comfortable. I don’t feel any strain from it. If anything, I think I could operate like this for quite a while."

"The manual said the effect should last approximately one to two hours," Bruce replied. "We’ll find out how accurate that estimate is during the hunt. Don’t force yourself to maintain it if you notice anything unusual. Tell me immediately if you feel the enhancement weakening."

"Understood."

Theron had been watching the exchange in silence. His attention had remained fixed on Kael from the moment the seal was completed, and Bruce could tell from his expression that he was considering something. Theron was not particularly impulsive when it came to matters involving unfamiliar abilities. He usually observed first, formed his conclusion afterward, and only then asked his question. After several moments, he finally turned toward Bruce.

"Bruce," he said.

"Yes?"

"Can you do that for me?"

Bruce glanced at him. "I can. Do you want it?"

"I do."

There was no hesitation in Theron’s answer. Bruce therefore prepared another inscription and carefully drew the same Enhancement Seal along Theron’s forearm. The process was nearly identical to Kael’s. The ink spread across the skin, sank beneath the surface of the soul-body, and settled into the same compact pattern. Once the final stroke was completed, Theron’s perception immediately began changing.

He blinked, then looked around the clearing with an expression of growing concentration. Like Kael, he was suddenly seeing details that had previously been hidden behind the ordinary limits of his perception. The ambient energy of the Deepwood became clearer. The movements of small creatures within the vegetation became easier to distinguish. Even the subtle disturbances created by their own presence seemed more obvious.

"That is..." Theron paused, searching for the appropriate description before continuing. "Bruce, that is enormous. My scythe is going to work differently with this."

"That is the point," Bruce said. "Use it naturally. Don’t try to force your ability to behave differently. Let your perception guide you, and tell me what you discover."

Theron nodded. "Understood."

With both companions enhanced, they finally moved deeper into the Deepwood and resumed their hunt.

The difference became apparent almost immediately.

Kael’s first opportunity came when they encountered a pack of flame-manes moving through a densely wooded section of the forest. The creatures were considerably larger and more densely built than the F-rank forest variants Bruce had encountered previously. Their bodies carried more muscle, their movements were more coordinated, and the flames surrounding their manes burned with noticeably greater intensity. Bruce had already learned the previous day that the Deepwood contained stronger variants of many familiar forest species, and the flame-manes were another clear example of that phenomenon.

Kael raised his hand as the creatures charged.

Under normal circumstances, his fire-lance would have required him to predict the beasts’ movements based on their visible body language and trajectory. With his enhanced perception, however, he could detect subtle changes in their movements before those changes became obvious. He could see which creature was preparing to change direction, identify the beast that was about to accelerate, and recognize openings in their formation before they fully developed.

His first fire-lance struck one of the flame-manes directly through a vulnerable point beneath its jaw.

The creature collapsed almost instantly.

Kael immediately formed another lance and released it toward a second target. This one attempted to dodge, but Kael had already anticipated the movement. The attack changed slightly in trajectory and struck the beast along the side of its chest, causing it to stumble before a third attack finished it.

Bruce observed the entire sequence without interfering. Willing only the effect he knew Kael wants him too

Kael was not suddenly stronger. His fire-lance had not increased in destructive power, and the seal had not altered the fundamental properties of his ability. What had changed was his ability to understand the battlefield. He was seeing opportunities earlier and responding to them more efficiently. His attacks were landing in better positions, and because he no longer needed to spend as much time reacting to the beasts’ movements, the fights were ending noticeably faster.

Theron’s improvement was even more interesting.

During the first battle, Bruce initially assumed Theron was simply performing his usual movements with greater precision. It took an entire exchange before he realized that something more fundamental had changed. Theron was no longer allowing his talent to completely dictate the manner in which he used his scythe.