Out of curiosity, Zeroy took the Breath of Origin out of her Inventory.
She wanted to take a closer look, but the moment she held it, a sense of longing surged within her. Her body, heart, even her soul seemed to crave this milky-white wisp of breath in her hand. Like a stranded wanderer in the desert spotting an oasis, or desire stirred upon meeting a dream lover—joy, excitement, her heartbeat raced uncontrollably.
"..."
Zeroy subconsciously squeezed it, and the Breath of Origin shattered into starlight, flooding into her body.
"Mm…!"
Unprepared, Zeroy hurriedly covered her mouth to stop any strange sound from escaping. The starlight rushing into her body brought an indescribable comfort, as if her entire being was nourished, like a weary soul sinking into a soft, welcoming bed.
[Sky Striker Ace LV1 → Sky Striker Ace LV2]
The feeling vanished fast, and Zeroy immediately focused on the changes within her body. Just as the panel displayed, she had advanced from LV1 to LV2—she had leveled up, grown stronger. Every aspect of her had improved to varying degrees; even her Mana reserves and the precision of her Mana control had risen noticeably.
Now, she could fight two of her former selves. Not that her stats had doubled, but her combat power had. Numerical changes weren't what mattered—what mattered was that this thing had completed something inside her.
She now understood the essence of power more clearly. For example, before, her grasp of magic had been shallow. She knew only that Mana was a force within her body she could mobilize for simple effects, but she had no understanding of what Mana truly was. Now she could perceive its essence, attributes, and properties. Even without studying spells, she could devise simple magic on her own, purely from this deeper understanding.
She could now also perceive spirits and cut them down—ghosts immune to physical harm, visible only to spiritual sight. She could have harmed them before by coating her eyes and blade with Mana, but it was like knowing food needs salt, knowing its effect, yet not knowing why salt works. Before, she could never actually see souls; now she could.
Though she had Mana, she was fundamentally a product of pure technology—except in some aspects, like her mind augmenting her Sky Striker Ace combat abilities.
Without the functions the Striker Unit System provided, she couldn't replicate them. For instance, her detection radar—unable to sense terrain or altitude, it worked like an old-style radar, only showing responses at certain locations. Even with her enhanced perception, it only extended her range rather than improving detail.
She had been just a normal person wielding great power. Now, she was truly extraordinary.
Her level-up also unlocked more of the Striker Unit System's functions: Shark Cannon, Eagle Booster, Hornet Drones, Multi-Role. She automatically obtained these basic armaments. And now—she could fly. Not merely through this new equipment, but because her armor and body themselves had gained flight capabilities, differing depending on her current state. Zeroy was more than satisfied. This felt right. She was already this strong—how strange would it be if she couldn't fly?
This level-up brought a qualitative leap, all thanks to the mysterious Breath of Origin.
Zeroy took out the remaining Breath of Origin. But this time, no desire arose within her.
"Emmm… I thought I'd found a way to keep leveling up."
She felt a tinge of frustration. She still had no idea how to raise her [Sky Striker Ace] level. That upgrade had been a fluke. Though she felt no craving this time, when she held the Breath of Origin, a new sense of clarity came to her.
What was origin? The world's origin? That wasn't yet clear. But as the description said, it was a miracle made manifest—a power that could actively trigger miracles. It wasn't only for herself—she could use it on other things too. Whatever she applied it to would produce the miracle she hoped for, even things like reviving the dead or defying laws. Of course, it had limits—where those limits lay, she didn't yet know.
For now, it seemed she had no personal use for it. But what else could it serve?
Her mind went to punishing the pests. Pests shouldn't die easily. If they died too quickly, how could that repay the people they had persecuted? But for efficiency's sake, she had to kill them fast. She lacked a way to punish pests' souls—something like hell, to collect their spirits and torment them slowly. Perhaps with the miracles the Breath of Origin could invoke, she could create such a means.
But as she held it, the Breath of Origin showed no reaction. She put it away, realizing she must be missing conditions. It could trigger miracles, yes, but it wasn't a wishing machine—preparation was still required.
Having examined the Breath of Origin, next came—the draw!
Five Special Item Draws. Zeroy was eager to see what she'd get.
"Main God, draw!"
The first four—four Golds.
Shizuku, Shizuku-Kū; Hayate; Kaina; and H.A.M.P.
At once, Zeroy understood. As expected—it was a Sky Striker-exclusive pool. Shizuku-Kū, Hayate, Kaina—they were specialized Striker Units, just like Kagari the Flame Blade. Respectively known as Water Blade, Wind Blade, and Earth Blade. Drawing them meant Zeroy had completed her Sky Striker Ace advanced gear. Water Blade excelled in electronic warfare, defense, and support. Wind Blade specialized in aerial combat and long-range strikes. Earth Blade… its role was questionable, DAZE! It was geared for close combat and engineering work, but Zeroy still preferred her blade—melee wasn't her strength.
As for H.A.M.P…
That too was Sky Striker-exclusive equipment, though strictly speaking, it belonged to an enemy Sky Striker Ace.
...
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