Chapter 205: Essence Denied

We spent some more time talking through how to proceed, how long we’d wait, what signs we’d look for from the Holts, and how to keep this place secure, when a thought suddenly hit me.

I turned to Ana.

“Hey, Ana. Do you know if there’s any skill, technique, or… I don’t know, ritual or something that could let humans gain a second transformation like the Ferans?”

She paused mid-sentence, blinking. Her brows lifted in surprise.

“You know about that?” she asked slowly.

Her tone wasn’t suspicious, just genuinely surprised. I guess she didn’t expect an outsider, especially a human, to know something that sounded like a deep racial secret.

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ve heard about it. Only a little, but enough to be curious.”

She looked at Steve, then back at me. For a few seconds, she just stared, as if weighing something in her head.

Ana looked at me and nodded.

“Yes, there is a method. My race has a way to give people from other races the ability to gain a second transformation.”

I blinked, surprised.

“Wait, so it’s not just for humans? Other races can get it too?”

She nodded again.

“Yes. But there’s a condition—you can’t already have a transformation. So, for example, the Nagas, who naturally have one, can’t use this method.”

I leaned forward slightly, my curiosity growing.

“And how do I get access to it?”

She let out a soft chuckle and shook her head.

“I’m not sure about all the details. What I do know is that it’s not easy. There’s a limited number available—it’s like a quota. And usually, to even qualify, some kind of deal has to be made. The Feran Council handles it directly, and they expect something valuable in return.”

I rubbed my chin, thinking it over. That explained why this wasn’t common knowledge.

I started wondering—could Arkas or even the Emperor have made a deal with the Ferans at some point? But then again, humans weren’t exactly strong compared to other races. What could the Emperor have offered that was valuable enough to get such a benefit?

Before I could say more, Steve jumped in.

“Is it even worth it? What’s the benefit of getting this transformation?”

Ana’s playful expression disappeared. Her face turned serious.

“There’s a reason the Council guards this method closely. I’ve never seen anyone personally who went through the process, but I’ve heard stories. If successful, your strength increases by around 20 to 25%. But that’s not even the most important part.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What is?”

She looked straight at me.

“You gain a new trait. Something unique to you. It’s different for everyone. Some people gain wings, others might get an elemental resistance, faster healing, or a special sense. It’s like… your body finds the one thing it lacks and gives it to you.”

Steve let out a low whistle.

“Damn. That’s like a second race evolution that you get.”

I nodded slowly, the idea sitting heavy in my mind. A personal trait… a power tailored just for me. It sounded too good to ignore.

I clapped my hands together and said, “Alright, let’s move on. I’ll focus on figuring out the collar. I need to understand how to disable it for both Steve and myself. Ana, is it okay if I use one of the houses to experiment in?”

Ana nodded without hesitation.

“Sure, take whichever one you like.”

I turned to Steve next.

“While I’m doing that, why don’t you stay here and talk to Ana? Try to gather more information about the Ferans and what’s going on in the outside world. It might come in handy later.”

He gave a sharp nod.

“Got it.”

I gave a small wave to both of them and left the temple, letting the quiet hum of Essence fade behind me. Once outside, I scanned the area and chose the house directly across from the one we’d been staying in.

I stepped into the large hall and made my way to the center. Without wasting any time, I sat down cross-legged and closed my eyes.

For a few minutes, I did nothing—just let my thoughts settle and my body relax. The quiet of the space helped me center myself, sharpening my focus for what came next.

Once my mind felt clear, I turned my attention to the collar.

I remembered the first time I wore it—I’d blacked out almost immediately. After that, I’d used Psynapse Overdrive and pushed my Psynapse beyond its normal limits to resist the suppression.

It worked. I could function better than before. But the collar itself hadn’t broken. It was still active, only hibernating for now.

I extended my perception and focused on the collar again. It was made of some strange metallic alloy, with runes etched along its inner and outer surface. Those runes were key—they were what linked the collar directly to my brain. I could feel faint traces of how it dampened my neural signals, muting the pathways that allowed my Psynapse to fully activate.

Because the collar wasn’t actively suppressing me at this moment—it had been pushed into a dormant state—it was hard to observe its full mechanism in action. But there was one thing I could still try: force.

If I could break it, even damage it a little, I might learn something useful.

Though I knew that other prisoners—many far stronger than me—had tried and failed, I had one small advantage.

The collar had calibrated itself based on my original Psynapse level. Since then, my Psynapse had grown a lot. That meant there could be gaps or weaknesses in its calibration—edges I might exploit.

It was a long shot. But it was something.

I activated [Essence Engine].

My heart gave a deep, deliberate thrum as the Essence stored within it surged to life. The moment I called for it, the violet energy responded.

It flowed out of the chamber of my heart and coursed through the Essence channels carved into my bones and muscles. With a thought, I guided it outward, letting it seep from my skin like a violet mist until it completely surrounded my body.

I directed it toward the collar.

The Essence flowed around the metal ring on my neck, coating it carefully. I focused and pushed it further, trying to press it into the engraved runes. My goal was simple: unravel or erase them. If I could damage their structure, even slightly, it might weaken the collar’s effect.

The Essence pressed in.

But the moment it touched the runes directly, it hit resistance—a shimmering field just above their surface. A ripple passed through the violet mist as the collar’s defense activated.

The Essence was pushed back, repelled as if the runes wore an invisible shield.

I narrowed my eyes and activated [Psynapse Overdrive].

My perception sharpened. Every line, every shift in energy, every flicker of interaction between Essence and runes became clearer. I focused entirely on the collar, tracing the defensive field with my enhanced senses.

But even with my Psynapse at full output, I couldn’t pierce the barrier. The repelling field was incredibly fine—like a perfectly woven membrane that kept everything out, even Essence.

I stopped.

The Essence dimmed and withdrew back into my body. I sat still, breathing slowly, thinking.

The collar wasn’t just metal and runes—it was smart. It recognized and countered Essence-based tampering.

That meant brute-forcing it wouldn’t work, at least not yet. There had to be another way. A weakness I hadn’t noticed. A trigger or condition the collar required to drop its defenses.

Maybe it wasn’t about destroying the runes. Maybe it was about tricking them.

Creation is hard, cheer me up!