Jack drifted higher. Away from the Gilded Lantern Hotel.
He needed space to think. To filter through the mental static the notification had created. His invisible spectral form pulsed with unseen potential energy. Waiting for him to commit.
Succubus Temptation... It probably focused on making others desire him. Useful, maybe. In certain manipulation scenarios. But it felt... wrong. Succubus. What if it made him feminine? Seductive? No.
Popobawa's Craving... It felt like the absolute worst option. Popobawa was associated with fear, indiscriminative predatory desire, and anal violation. It felt like a trait designed for a pure horror monster.
Jack didn't see himself as a monster. Not in that uncontrolled, violating sense. He was a judge. Sometimes a brutal one. But there was a rationale. However dark. This trait felt like unbound horror. Pass. Hard pass.
That left Incubus Charm... The name implied fascination, attraction, perhaps a way to influence or draw others in. Likely through some form of irresistible allure. While similar in a way with Succubus Temptation, it felt less... physical. Or even if it made physical change, it would not make him feminine. Hopefully.
The trait was still rooted in carnal themes. But 'Charm' sounded more... controllable. It felt less explicitly predatory than Popobawa's Craving.
Between raw temptation he didn't want to project, pure violation he abhorred, and a potentially broader 'charm', the choice became clear. It was the least repulsive. The most potentially useful in a non-monstrous way. And the most... 'normal' option out of three deeply abnormal choices.
Jack focused his will. He selected [Incubus Charm]. The other options vanished. The notification faded. Leaving behind a subtle shift in the feel of his spectral form.
It was a new warmth. A faint, almost imperceptible thrum deep within his core energy. A trait tied to demonic charm. Born from witnessing human debauchery. The system worked in mysterious, infuriating ways.
He dismissed the lingering weirdness. A level was a level. A new trait was a new tool. Even if the source felt tainted. He had chosen. Now it was time to know what it actually was.
Jack opened his system's Status Panel and looked for the description of the new entry.
[Incubus Charm: a supernatural trait granting the host an unnatural and irresistible allure. It transcends conventional beauty or charisma. But it could only affect anyone that had experienced sexual intercourse with the host. This inherent magic allows the host to inspire trust, infatuation, or a deep, inexplicable urge to please. Making the targets highly susceptible to suggestion and mental manipulation.]
What the hell was this trait? Jack swore silently. A brainwashing ability. Nice. But one that only worked after a sexual intercourse. Rubbish. Why would he need to brainwash any girl who was already willing to sleep with him?
Jack sighed. One pointless trait. Whatever. The night was still young. And Sapphire City had no shortage of people waiting for judgement.
...
Jack Night stood before the mercenary mission board in the boisterous hall. The air hummed. With the low roar of conversation. The clinking of tankards. And the occasional clang of ill-maintained mechanical armor.
He ignored the noise. Letting his eyes scan the various postings – escort duties, monster hunts, retrieval jobs, clear-outs. Most were mundane. Necessary, but mundane.
His human form, large and rugged, felt oddly constrained in the crowded space. A stark contrast to the boundless freedom of his specter state.
Then he saw it. A posting tacked high, near the top:
EXPEDITION GUARD DUTY: TIDELESS ISLAND
Client: Count Bellcroft
Destination: Tideless Island, Mist Palace Research Site
Duration: Est. 4-6 weeks
Requirements: Experienced combat personnel, able to operate in challenging environments
Compensation: ...
Tideless Island. The name brought back a rush of memories. A mix of cold and warm memories. He'd been there before. Not that long time ago.
He had visited the island as Jack Mystery. An invisible observer trailing an archaeological team to the Webmother Temple. That journey had been his first encounter with the inheritance of deity level being of this new reality.
In that place... he had navigated the bizarre, deadly trials of the Webmother's Inheritance. He had crossed paths with Queen Mirage from the evil Night Salvation Organization.
And it was also due to the adventure within that ancient ruin that he gained the solid, living form of his third incarnation. The transcendent human. Steamrune Engineer... Jack Night.
The mission mentioned the 'Mist Palace'. Jack didn't know that name. But he could guess. His specter form had explored enough of the island to recognize a place fit to be called with the description.
It wasn't a palace in the traditional sense. It was an ancient, ruined structure shrouded perpetually in a strange mist near the northern coast of the island.
An instinct, sharp and undeniable, pricked at him. He felt it. This wasn't just another job for Jack Night, the mercenary. This was a great chance.
His intuition, honed by countless judgments and evolutions, screamed opportunity. He needed to join the mission.
First, though... he had a loose end. Spider. The ghost boy had become an unexpected fixture in his nights.
Jack had poured the knowledge he had learned as a spectral scholar into the ghost kid. Teaching him the bare bones of Mystic Art. How to perceive and manipulate spectral energy. And the principle of the spectral grimoire.
And Spider... that little guy was sharp. Extremely sharp. He soaked up the lessons like a thirsty sponge.
He considered the situation pragmatically. While he enjoyed the cynical back-and-forth banter with Spider, their lessons were essentially complete.
He had taught the boy everything he knew. About being a fledgling Mystic Scholar specter. The foundational theory. The energy manipulation basics. The concept of inscribing power into a spiritual anchor...
Spider's next steps weren't about instruction. They were about relentless practice. Condensing his spectral grimoire. Learning how to hold it stable. Inscribing spells. Practicing their casting until it was second nature. That was work Spider had to do himself. Jack's presence wasn't required for that grind.
He possessed the perfect parting gift. The complete set of the Encyclopedia of Mystic Arts. Bound in worn leather. Filled with dense text and arcane diagrams.
He had snatched them from the Ironpile Town Library during his spectral time there. He had devoured the contents. Extracting the practical knowledge applicable to his own path. Discarding the theoretical fluff not relevant to him.
He didn't need the physical books anymore. They would serve Spider infinitely better.
That night, the city lights dimmed. And the sounds of the harbor quieted. Jack, as usual, manifested in his spectral form, Jack Mystery.
He met Spider in their usual clandestine spot. Within the great, silent library. The boy's translucent form flickered slightly in the gloom. His perpetually too-serious face etched with anticipation.
"Evening, Teach!" Spider greeted. His voice was a low, raspy whisper. "What should I learn tonight?"
Jack's expression was unreadable. Hidden behind his spectral mask. "Listen, Spider. There's something we need to discuss."
Spider tilted his head. His spectral hair was shifting. "Sounds serious. Did I fail the pop quiz last lesson?"
"No. Your lessons are finished."
The boy blinked. "Finished? What, like, forever? Did I do something wrong?"
"You did everything right." Jack stated plainly. "You've learned all I can teach you about spectral Mystic Arts."
He gestured with a translucent hand. And a hidden stack of books appeared and settled between them. It was the Encyclopedia of Mystic Arts.
"This is the Encyclopedia of Mystic Arts." Jack explained. "All seven volumes. I've learned everything I needed from it. Well, many would not be suitable for us. Because they were aimed at humans not spectral entity like us. But, they are useful. Now they're yours."
Spider's eyes widened. Spectral light was flaring within them. "The whole set? This... this is everything?"
"It's the foundation." Jack corrected. "Most of the things I taught you comes from here. Or was confirmed by it. You know the theory. You know the principles. You have the concept of the grimoire. Now you have the detailed knowledge on how to build it. How to inscribe spells. This is where my direct instruction ends. Your progress from here depends entirely on how much time you spend practicing."
He watched the boy. Gauging his reaction. Spider wasn't prone to overt displays of emotion. But the stillness in his form. The intensity of his spectral gaze on the books, spoke volumes.
"So... I'm graduated?" Spider asked. The sarcasm was a thin veil over something else.
"You could say that," Jack replied. "You're equipped. The rest is up to you. Practice diligently. Don't get careless. And don't try to bite off more than you can chew with inscription until you've mastered the basics."
Spider nodded. A slow movement. "Right. Thanks, Teach. For... everything."
"Just stay safe, kid." Jack said. It was as close to a farewell as he was likely to give.
He watched as Spider reached out a spectral hand. His form solidifying slightly as he focused. And the pile of books shimmered. One flew to his hand and opened immediately.
Jack nodded and allowed his form to flicker. Becoming invisible. Blending into the shadows and unseen energies of the library.
Spider remained there for a long moment. A lone, translucent figure. Surrounded by solid, mundane knowledge.
Jack didn't linger. He had work to do. And a mission to prepare.