"Hmm." Lin Guang nodded straightforwardly, "This is the trait of the Crying Scarecrow called [Loud Wailing]. It emits a rather frightening cry when attacked, which is why some people call it the 'Mandela Strawman.' Some timid Spirit Beasts might lose their will to fight and their attack power decreases as a result. If you accidentally fall for it, only Spirit Beasts with high resistance in this area or the 'Unaffected' trait can be immune."
"This world has rules completely different from Terra, and some seemingly inconspicuous existences may actually contain great dangers. You need to abandon the common sense you learned in the past world and adapt to these rules. I mentioned before you picked up the weapon that this guy's name is Crying Scarecrow, but you didn't pay attention to the implication of its name."
"..."
W pursed her lips but didn't refute anything; this time, she indeed underestimated the enemy.
If she knew the target had "Source Stone Techniques," she definitely wouldn't have been so complacent.
"Actually, even if I had said in advance to mentally prepare you, the outcome wouldn't have been much better. Traits and skills should not be underestimated. Compared to my telling you, you'd be better off continuing to try."
This statement once again stirred W's rebellious spirit. She pulled out the dagger from behind the Crying Scarecrow and swiftly slashed at its neck with lightning speed.
As the blade sliced a few centimeters into the scarecrow's neck, the soul-piercing wail resonated through the training room once more, and the strength concentrated in W's right arm suddenly vanished, leaving the dagger halted halfway through the scarecrow's neck.
"This Crying Scarecrow is Level 5, two levels higher than you. After hearing it several times, you'll barely manage to overcome it. But until you surpass it in Level, you'll at least be affected by half because what affects you isn't simply the sound or psychological impact, but Ether."
"Ether is this world's unique supernatural energy, akin to the kind of supernatural power you once had, but the skills involving Ether are only stronger, more comprehensive, and harder to counter than your previous power system."
Pausing briefly, Lin Guang continued, "Next, try using your skills. I saw you used Fearful Face on that fish earlier, it shouldn't be difficult for you."
"..."
This time, W didn't refute a single word. The long, slender red-black tail suddenly wavered, and as the Ether within and around her body was awakened, the tail emitted particles of pale blue micro-light, rapidly attaching to the scarecrow's body and seeping in.
"Very good."
Lin Guang showed an expression of amazement.
"This is 'Tail Wagging,' using Ether to envelop nearby enemies, decreasing their Defense Power, resistance, etc. You can try attacking the scarecrow again."
W opened her amber eyes, reaching out to grip the dagger. It was then that she noticed the wound she had just inflicted was already healed, showing no sign of damage from the outside.
Taking a deep breath, W aimed at a spot slightly above the wound on the neck and slashed again.
Whoosh—
Along with the Crying Scarecrow's loud wailing, a large tuft of straw head fell to the ground.
[Your partner W defeated the Level 5 Gray enemy, the Star Shard progress bar has increased.]
After a slight stiffening, W looked down at the somewhat comical head by her feet, her gaze revealing an inexplicable gleam.
"Is it over?"
"Don't worry, it won't die."
Shaking his head, Lin Guang picked up the straw-formed head and hat from the ground, placing them on the severed neck. A faint green micro-light flickered, and the straw began to move like a worm, reconnecting the neck and head until no trace of a wound could be seen.
"This is the skill [Self-Recovery]. From the speed, it may have reached 'Entering the Hall' proficiency."
"The Crying Scarecrow doesn't have any so-called vital points. If only using pure physical attacks, unless the force is overwhelmingly strong, all it does is break it into pieces of straw. As long as it's bound back into human form within a day and exposed to sunlight for some time, it'll naturally recover—unless you use a high-powered skill with a lot of Ether to completely destroy all the straw, only then will it truly die."
"Because of this trait, it's very suitable as a sparring partner dummy for novice Spirit Beasts."
"Moreover, the Crying Scarecrow doesn't feel pain. The crying is merely a means of survival to scare off enemies."
Once the initial capital is earned, selling Crying Scarecrows could be considered... Lin Guang thought to himself, noting that people had yet to discover that these constantly beaten down figures were actually Ghost-type Spirit Beasts instead of Plant-type Spirit Beasts, and that these possession-type Ghost-type Spirit Beasts were the easiest to evolve, with many evolutionary paths.
"I didn't ask you about this."
W snorted lightly, turning her head away yet suddenly glaring fiercely at the Crying Scarecrow... Nothing happened. The skill [Fearful Face] had activated, but the scarecrow had no offensive capabilities, so there was no effect.
"I must say, your skill activation speed is incredible, Tail Wagging takes about three seconds, while Fearful Face's activation time is even around two seconds. In skill activation and comprehension, you far surpass beast forms and Spirit Beasts with Enslavement Contracts."
"Now for the main event."
Lin Guang walked to W's side, meeting her gaze: "Get ready."
Seeing him so serious, W composed herself and looked into his eyes.
The Talent [Heart of Terra] activated.
In the next moment, immensely intricate three-dimensional runes appeared in their pupils simultaneously, dyeing their eyes with a dim yet deep gold, like a quietly burning flame.
W suddenly felt a force different from Ether surge within her.
Her body seemed to strengthen, her limbs grew a bit more powerful, her concentration sharpened, reaction and perception more acute, and even the slight depletion of physical strength and Ether recovered at a faster rate.
In disbelief, W lowered her head, quickly moving her limbs. The dagger danced beautifully between her fingers — though the improvements were small in each aspect, nearly every ability was enhanced, giving her the illusion of having regained some of her past strength.
If quantified, she estimated her overall combat ability had increased by at least 30%.
"This is——?!!"
Lin Guang took a deep breath, feeling the Spiritual Power slowly drawn and consumed in the Sea of Spirit by the Heart of Terra, and spoke: "This is my power as a Spirit Master."
"In principle, it is a Spirit Rune Array composed of extremely complex, hard-to-replicate Spirit Patterns. Its effect is a comprehensive enhancement of 'Terra Lifeforms.'"