Second Genesis

There were clearly three main paths for the Helion Frame. One of them leaned more heavily toward the metal aspects, the second leaned more heavily into fusion and fission, and the last leaned more heavily into light in general.

The connection was clear enough even to a layman. It was all connected with the sun—or more accurately, stars in general.

Stars had enough density and energy to force fusion. That started with lighter particles until their cores literally compressed into heavier and heavier metals. The final stage of most stars was, quite literally, iron.

During a supernova, even heavier metals than that could form.

This was how Grey had managed to turn his Metal Body into a Helion Body in the first place. But right now, his actual path was murky.

He had some aspects of his metal body, and his current frame was quite sturdy, but he could also use Solarbrand to heat himself up pretty quickly, and then he could use Solar Regeneration to heal his body.

That was like all three paths of the Helion Frame coming together, but there was no clear direction. It was no wonder it was a bit weaker than his other Frames despite supposedly being perfect.

Back when it was in the Proving Class, his Vampire Lord Frame could cast mental Abilities that affected even those of higher Frames. But right now, his Helion Frame was only useful against weaklings like that first girl he battled. He didn’t even bother to try and use it against the Syrn.

’Is it because I need to pick one path? Or is it because I only took tidbits of each without a full understanding of the scope I needed?’

Grey’s eyes narrowed and he flipped the page. To make a decision, he wanted to see everything.

After a few minutes, he flipped the page again, and then again, and then again afterward.

Ultimately, there were six main categories, as expected. Though, within those six categories, there were more branching paths.

The first page was for Body Resistance. The next few pages were variations on that. For example, there was one page that focused more on heavier metals, like forming a body of gold.

However, while choosing those more specific paths might lead to more immediate strength, they pigeon-holed you in other ways.

The only way a star could form gold was through a supernova, so the nuclear reaction you would have to sustain with the Helion Body was a lot greater. Meaning, you wouldn’t be able to use a sustained, controlled Solarbrand anymore. You would have to use blasts of energy and superheating small or a narrow scope of materials would become impossible. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Still, the more complicated the tome became, the more Grey’s eyes shone.

Every time he flipped the page, his body rolled with heat as though it was grasping something new.

Maybe Mauve and the others had tried to speak to him, but he didn’t register it at all. He had completely forgotten about the world around him.

’I can see it.’

The searing image of overlapping Neural Circuits filled Grey’s mind. Pulses came from the Prometheus Spirit, its rippling lines responding to Grey’s thoughts as the path of the Neural Frame was etched out in real time.

Grey didn’t even notice it was happening, but slowly, he was beginning to understand the confusion.

’My Helion Frame was built at random. It ended up becoming a Branching Frame because that was how things happened to land, not because I had the expressed intention to make it like that. But a ton of its Abilities fall into other categories.

’Solarbrand is much more of a Linear Frame Ability. Helstorm and Helion Resonance are objectively Resonant Frame Abilities, Helion Body is probably the only Ability that can fall into a proper Branching Type Frame category...’

A Branching Frame was supposed to be far more flexible. It was great for defense not because it could tank attacks, but instead because it could spread and disperse them. It was good with speed not because it had great straight-line speed, but because it could quickly accelerate, change directions, and switch momentum.

If he wanted his Helion Frame to properly fill and display the power it was meant to, it had to truly embody what it meant to Branch.

The greatest irony was probably that if you were going to pick between Fusion and Fission to embody a Branching Frame, shouldn’t you pick Fission? The nuclear reaction that split elements rather than combining them?

However... stars did experience Fission eventually, it just required large enough metals and their death—a supernova.

Grey didn’t want that sort of violent upheaval—at least not continuously.

Luckily for him, even fusion had some aspects of fission, shooting off offshoots of particles and energy.

The understanding grew in Grey’s mind.

Did he understand the science? No. But his talent for comprehending Neural Frame Circuits was simply off the charts. He didn’t need to understand the science to read what was right in front of him and get a feel for it.

And the moment he realized he needed to properly embody a Branching Frame, everything clicked into place one after another.

WHOOSH.

—

[Body Resistance, {Helion Body}, has evolved to {Solvmantle}]

—

[Body Combat, {Solarbrand}, has evolved to {Solarbreak}]

—

[Body Enhancement, {Solar Regeneration}, has evolved to {Stellar Drift}]

—

[Mind Resistance, {Living Dawn}, has evolved to {Corona Veil}]

—

[Mind Combat, {Helstorm}, has evolved to {Solveign Storm}]

—

[Mind Enhancement, {Helion Resonance}, has evolved to {Helion Web}]

—

[Perfect Frame, {Helion}, has evolved to Perfect Frame, {Solveign}]

**

Alvin stood in the field with narrowed eyes. Everyone stood around, waiting. Mauve had tried to stall several times, using whatever tricks she could, but even she didn’t know what was happening.

"Since the First Ranker of your zone hasn’t appeared, you’ll be disqualified." Alvin said coldly.

"Bullshit." Brad said. "If our First Ranker is not here, then we can still participate ourselves. Who died and made you overlord?"

Alvin’s gaze turned ice cold, his staff smashing into the ground.

"Why don’t you come over here and—."

A spear split Alvin’s head in two. It came out of nowhere, flying through the air like a blazing red sun.

"Shut the fuck up."