Spark took off the [Appraisal Goggles] he wore.
Next on his internal checklist was Honey. His first fairy. She was still in 'Baby' stage. But her growth stage had reached max value.
Now, she was ready for more. He reached for the leather-bound book from his backpack. The Fairy Grimoire.
Spark looked at his tattooed arm. It was the Soulcraft Crest where Honey dwelt. He focused a little, and the tattoo glowed. And then disappeared.
Immediately the grimoire throbbed and glowed for a few seconds. Before it returned back to normal. Honey had moved into the grimoire.
Spark opened it to the page Honey was in. There was a delicate, charcoal sketching of a tiny baby girl with beautiful energy wings. Below it... Lines of clear script detailed her current state.
[Name: Honey]
[Type: Arcane Fairy]
[Stage: Baby]
[Growth: 100%]
[Loyalty: 100%]
[Personalities: Affectionate, Loyal]
[Growth Item: Pure Honey]
[Shared Talent: Instant Casting]
[Ability: Soulcraft Crest - Arcane Coating]
[Evolution Paths: Arcane Fairy Girl, Arcane Fairy Princess, Curse Fairy Witch, Seven Element Fairy]
Spark studied the evolution paths. Four options.
'Arcane Fairy Girl' and 'Arcane Fairy Princess' were the standard line. The common and elite advancement version of an 'Arcane Fairy'. They should have predictable increases in arcane power and range.
As the most standard evolution, 'Arcane Fairy Girl' should retain [Arcane Coating] as the crest ability. With more power and efficiency.
On the other hand, 'Arcane Fairy Princess' might replace [Arcane Coating] with either [Arcane Energy Shield] or [Arcane Energy Blast]. Changing the ability to pure defense or mid-ranged attack.
'Curse Fairy Witch' was darker. It abandoned arcane power and focused more on curse power. Gaining potential to replace the current ability with debilitating hexes or soul-draining abilities. It was complex. With high risk, high reward potential. But less direct.
Then there was 'Seven Element Fairy'. The data he had acquired on this realm's soulcraft supernatural paths indicated it was exceedingly rare, even legendary.
It promised versatility. Mastery over multiple elemental forces instead of just raw arcane energy.
He had long weighed the options with cold logic. Raw power was good, curses had their uses for control or attrition, but versatility? That was leverage. Adapting to different threats. Different enemy types.
A Jackmaster like him was meant to cover all bases. And a companion that could provide diverse elemental support aligned perfectly with that.
The 'Seven Element Fairy' path was the clear choice. For maximum utility and future scaling.
It required the remains of a Rainbow Wisp. Not a common find. Wisps in general were elusive. And the Rainbow variety was terrifyingly rare and fast.
Most who encountered them were either too slow to catch them or simply vaporized by their chaotic elemental bursts.
But Spark had resources. He had enough wealth and connection to get that required item. And he had acquired it even before he traveled to the Greensea Grassland.
He opened his vaults. He took out a small, heavy box carved from obsidian. He flipped it open.
Inside was a handful of shimmering, multi-colored sand. The dust of a Rainbow Wisp. He bought it through his connection in the Black Market.
He laid the Grimoire open on the floor. He held the obsidian box. Over the page displaying the charcoal drawing of Honey.
With care that seemed almost out of place for his size, he poured the shimmering sand. Onto the open page.
It didn't fall like normal sand. Instead, it seemed to hover for a moment. Drawn to the magical energy emanating from the book. Then, it dissolved into pure, vibrant light. Flowing into the charcoal tracing of the little fairy shape.
Spark focused his will. Pouring his own refined soul energy into the Grimoire. It needed a catalyst, yes. But it also needed guidance, intent.
Spark felt the familiar connection to Honey. The absolute loyalty vibrated like a plucked string. He directed that connection, the energy, and the Wisp remains, towards the 'Seven Element Fairy' path.
The Grimoire pulsed violently in his hands. The light intensified. Bathing the room in shifting hues. Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Indigo. Violet.
The charcoal drawing on the page blurred. Shifting. The little baby shape elongated. Refined. Energy wings remained. But they seemed larger, more defined. The figure took on a distinctly female form. Youthful but no longer infant-like.
The light subsided. Leaving the room normal. Quiet. He looked down at the Grimoire page. The drawing was different. Clearer now. A pretty teenage girl with energy wings.
And the information below had completely rewritten itself in glowing script.
[Name: Honey]
[Type: Seven Element Fairy]
[Stage: Adolescent (Tier 2)]
[Growth: 0%]
[Loyalty: 100%]
[Personalities: Affectionate, Loyal]
[Growth Item: Maple Syrup]
[Shared Talent: Instant Casting]
[Ability: Soulcraft Crest - Elemental Coating]
[Evolution Paths: ...]
He scanned the changes. [Type: Seven Element Fairy]. As planned. Great.
Next would be [Stage: Adolescent (Tier 2)]. Good. She'd advanced a tier, a significant leap in power base.
[Growth: 0%]. It was back to zero. But, it was standard after evolution. She needed to be nurtured again, more effectively... with her growth item.
[Loyalty: 100%]. As expected. After all, her [Personalities: Affectionate, Loyal] were unchanged. The Loyal personality granted full 100% loyalty. Good. Controlled devotion was necessary.
And then... [Growth Item: Maple Syrup]. It was different from its former Pure Honey. A minor inconvenience. But Maple Syrup wasn't hard to source in Gutlark Town.
[Shared Talent: Instant Casting] was retained. Excellent. Casting spells without incantation or gestures was a critical component of his combat style via Soulcraft.
Finally... [Ability: Soulcraft Crest - Elemental Coating]. This was the key change. From generic 'Arcane' to versatile 'Elemental'. He knew what that meant.
She could now imbue his attacks or defenses with specific elemental properties: fire, ice, earth, wind, lightning, light, or darkness. Seven elements.
He felt a grim sense of satisfaction. The evolution was a complete success. Honey was now a far more potent asset. Her utility expanded exponentially.
He snapped the Grimoire shut. The magic subsided. Leaving the book looking like any other old volume.
"Honey!" He murmured. Not raising his voice. His connection via their shared nature was enough.
A moment later, a small, radiant figure shimmered into existence before him. She was slightly larger than before. Perhaps double its previous tiny size.
She had a more defined, almost graceful, teenage girl form. Her energy wings pulsed with multi-colored light. She zipped forward. Circling his head with bright, energetic movements.
A soft, high-pitched sound emanating from her that he interpreted as greeting. Or perhaps excitement. Her presence felt different. Stronger. More vibrant.
"Good girl!" Spark praised.
Keeping Honey hovering near him, Spark strode out of the study. The manor felt quiet.
Lilith was likely handling strategic material acquisition. Processing the required item list from Ivy. Ivy herself was probably buried in her new lab. Working on the alchemical and poison projects Spark had assigned her.
His thoughts turned to his major investment. The sky ship.
In Aurean Archipelago, naval ships controlled the seas. Submarines dominated the depths. And sky ships reached for the boundless sky.
The only way to access the many incredible floating islands in this word was through a sky ship. And he wanted that.
He had commissioned the sky ship construction in a secluded section of the Gutlark Town shipyard. Under tight security and layers of misdirection. He didn't want any trouble messing up with his sky exploring plan.
However, building a ship capable of sustained flight required advanced materials, intricate rune-work, and specialized labor. It wasn't a quick process. He understood that. But, he needed updates.
He moved through the manor. Straight to the town.
Outside, the humid coastal air of Gutlark Town hit him. The town itself was a bustling hub of trade. Smells of fish, spices, and fuel for the various craft filling the air.
People moved aside instinctively as he walked. His sheer size and the aura of power he unconsciously exuded was enough to part the crowds. Like a vessel cutting through water.
They saw his friendly, easy-going façade. The slight smile. The seemingly relaxed posture. But none were stupid enough to think that he was someone easy to take advantage of.
There was an intimidating, underlying intensity in his manner. The cold calculation in his eyes spoke of something far more dangerous.
The shipyard was located on the eastern edge of the town. It was a sprawling complex of docks, cranes, and workshops. The section where his sky ship was being built was walled off.
It was guarded by contractors he trusted implicitly. Mercenaries with no loyalties beyond the coin he paid them. But bound by runic contracts designed to ensure their silence and compliance.
He approached the main gate. The guards were snapping to attention. They recognized him. They knew not to delay him.
He walked through the gate. Honey was a fleeting blur beside his head. Excited seeing everything.
Inside, the noise of the shipyard hit them. The clang of hammers. The whine of saws. The shouts of workers.
But in his specialized section. The sounds were different. More focused. The hum of active runes. The precise chipping of tools on exotic materials.
He needed that ship finished. Exploration was key. The world was opening up. Unexplored floating lands. New resources. New applications for his unique blend of abilities.
His planned exploration path required freedom. Access. And the ability to strike from unexpected angles. A sky ship provided that.
He reached the scaffolding surrounding his vessel. A foreman hurried over, a man with grease stains on his fac. And a nervous energy about him.
"Lord Nighthawk! A pleasure..." The foreman began. An unnatural smile was on his face.
Spark smiled politely. But he still cut the foreman off with a raised hand. "No need for pleasantries. Please... Just tell me the progress. Components, assembly, rune work. Any delays?"
The foreman swallowed. His unnatural smile vanished. "Ah, yes, Milord. Progress continues. The lift-drive runes are proving... intricate. It needed slightly longer for calibration than anticipated. But the hull is nearly..."
"How long?" Spark interrupted. His amiable voice dropped. Smile disappeared from his face.