章 27: Soul Splitter

Cardisys quickly listed the Eight Heavenly Ranks in order. [ Temporal ] > [ Spacial ] > [ Immortal ] > [ Celestial ] > [ Astral ] > [ Ethereal ] > [ Seraphic ] > [ Holy ]. The jumps between each rank was vaster than those of the Eight Mortal ranks. And obviously, they were all much rarer.

Rialyne flicked back and forth between her Main and Branch 1 tabs. The Domain HP on each was separate from one another along with the improved and new skills. Even though she was the Soul Inhabiter for each Host Tree, the two Domains acted like separate territories.

She could easily switch between the two of them and cast their respective skills. But that also meant that she would then take on the Domain HP of one or the other. They weren't combined.

The biggest question, however, was whether the two trees were connected in any significant ways. 'Could I transport myself back to the Eldarine Tree through the Calopyrus Tree instead of physically entering my Main Domain?'

If that was successful, then Rialyne could plant seeds in more territories and effectively expand far faster than she was currently. Just that single possibility evoked a surge of restrained euphoria within Rialyne. The far-fetched goal of world domination would actually be feasible.

'Heh, world domination. I was half joking when I said that, but I guess I'll see now whether that ludicrous ambition is possible…' She inwardly smirked and tapped the Calopyrus Tree with Kyferne's hand.

Instantly upon contact with the smooth, caramel bark, Rialyne felt her consciousness within Kyferne being tugged toward the Calopyrus Tree.

'Bingo!!' She cheered inside her head and darted fluidly inside the tree, feeling oddly at home in the embrace of the plant cells. 'Haah, even though I'm human, I feel safer inside this tree than tromping around inside of Kyferne. Maybe because his body is weaker than my tree? Or should I say TREES. Hahaha!'

"Rialyne! It worked? How is it in there?" Kyferne called out to the girl a few seconds after he felt her presence slip away from his mind.

"It's grrreaatt!!" she boomed while twirling her supple branches in excited accomplishment. "I feel like I gained a new house or apartment or something! Hum, should I consider this my new vacation home? Hehee~"

Calming herself down to better assess the opportunity presented to her, Rialyne deliberated her current situation and next course of action. 'This tree feels like the Eldarine one; I even have my own cell here too. So I guess that means I don't really have a physical form? I am just a soul after all. Maybe that's why I could enter Kyferne's mind so easily. Urgh.' Rialyne shivered.

'That's somehow a scary thought. I was sharing a body, my soul sorta with him! Man, if Kyferne really died, maybe I would too! Yikes, I better find out if this is true because maybe that means I'll die if killed in one of these trees too. Although, I guess it's less of a risk if I really am able to travel between Domains… Well, first things first, let's check out that theory.'

Nodding to herself, she focused her mind and imagined, commanded herself to be inside the Eldarine Tree instead of the Calopyrus Tree. Immediately, her cell seemed to distort and quiver, and then she found herself inside what she believed to be the Eldarine Tree. When she spread out her senses, indeed, she was inside of the main tree.

"Cardisys!" She called out to the shiny cell who enthusiastically jumped on top of the larger cell, seemingly with tears in his… eye pockets.

"Rialyne~~" he whined with glossy, round pockets. "I thought you'd ignore me forever and then just leave me here all alone to go off with Kyferne."

"Eh? What're you? A baby? Hah, I'm not going to leave you alone. Remember, I promised that I'd stay with you. Besides, isn't this great? I can travel between Domains now! This is fantastic!"

Cardisys appeared to smile, but then it faded as he informed, "It definitely is, but… I assessed the situation, and rather than transporting yourself between Domains, it's more like you split your soul. Your consciousness isn't affected by the portion left at either tree, but if a Domain were to be completely vanquished…"

"That part of my soul would die." Rialyne stoically finished Cardisys's words.

The shiny cell nodded slowly. "Thus it would be better to leave most of your soul in the Eldarine Tree for now. When you went off with Kyferne, you carried almost all of your soul with just enough in the Eldarine Tree in order to reconnect safely when you return."

"Well this is all important to know, but why didn't you say anything before I left about this?"

A sweat-drop formed on Cardisys's head. "That is…" He looked over at a large cell behind him which was drawing closer, bobbing airily through the plant cells. "That's the cell you left containing your soul. Since it didn't change in size, I only realized now about how much of your soul was inside."

Startled, Rialyne bounced back in surprise before peering down at herself. "This is a different cell..? Huh. I guess that explains things. It's consistent with the soul-splitting theory. But… I don't feel any different from before." Her cell furrowed in thought.

"Maybe because you took up such a large portion of your soul with you?"

"But you just said that my consciousness remains the same, so shouldn't I be the same regardless of the amount of soul? Also… isn't splitting one's soul dangerous?" She shivered a little in worry.

Cardisys was silent for a moment as he contemplated it. "Certainly, it sounds scary. But souls are flexible and resilient. Unless it's an external force acting upon another's soul, I think you splitting up your own soul shouldn't be harmful. Then again, maybe it's because you're a tree."

"And I have the Cardinal System," added Rialyne directly after his last sentence.

The shiny cell looked up at Rialyne. "You think I affect your soul like that?"

"It's just a theory. Or rather, more like a hunch. Just like how you can automate actions and take care of the tree while I'm away or busy, I think you're a bodyguard of sorts too. I just have a feeling that as long as I have you, I'm protected."

Cardisys was silent yet again. "You really think so?" A curve formed upon the lower arc of his cell surface—a smile. "Haha, I guess I'm pretty important then!"

"Peh. It's just a theory, don't get all big headed now!"

The little cell giggled at the bigger cell who pretended to cross her makeshift, jelly arms.

"Ah! I should go back to Kyferne. He's probably worried about my silence now. See ya Cardi!"

"W-wait!" he stopped Rialyne. "If you're going back, then take me with you!"

"Huh? But you need to take care of the tree and make it stronger!" she protested.

"Err, then let me try to split my soul too!" Determination flooded from the tenacious cell.

Rialyne frowned. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea, but… it doesn't hurt to try now that I'm here. Oh wait, what if I get disconnected with the Calopyrus Tree?! I better head back first just in case!"

She speedily transported herself back to the valley before Cardisys could counter. And sure enough she found herself staring at an anxious Kyferne who was searching every part of the Calopyrus Tree while whispering Rialyne's name.

"Uh. Way to be creepy, dude," she chuckled, startling the boy who jumped away sheepishly.

"You're finally back. I was getting worried when I didn't get any response for a few minutes."

"Sorry sorry, I was testing out traveling between here and the Eldarine Tree back outside the valley. Turns out, I can easily do that! This means that I can plant more trees and create more Domains! Isn't that great news?!"

Of course, she didn't divulge the information about soul-splitting. Rialyne decided it would better for the boy not to know. Even if they had a closer relationship than they had now, she still would keep it for the sake of not worrying Kyferne.

After all, there were risks to the process. If the boy had perished at the maws of the Archaic Stygian Wyrm of Destruction or the Sablerre Basilisk of Ruination, then she surely could have died then too. If she told him this, then he might not agree to her ever joining him inside his mind again.

'I'll have to find myself a body of some sort to travel in for the future.' She noted to herself. 'I can't rely on Kyferne all the time while putting us both at risk. And if we're both fighting, we'll probably be better off against any enemies. I wonder…if partying up is possible in this world?'

The idea derived from video games was quickly cast out by Rialyne right after thinking about it. She wouldn't be surprised if it were true, but equating her new reality to a game was probably not the best if she were to take her life seriously.

Information was vital in this world if she wanted to survive. And she had to be constantly on the lookout for danger. Currently, she might be safe because her strength far exceeded the enemies in the nearby forest. But Rialyne could never be too sure of the future. If she learned anything from her past life, situations could switch in a second from good to the pits of hell.

"All right, Ferny-boy, let's start grinding these valley monsters and plants!" Rialyne cackled.

"F-ferny boy? Ahahah…" Kyferene sweat-dropped with a weak smile.

Rialyne flourished her branches and activated [ Engrain (Superior) ]. 'This tree is strong enough with its basic level one stats that I can defeat at least grass in a hundred meters around me plus some small plants too!' Since Synthesis, Sap, and Engrain were locked respectively to their trees, Rialyne couldn't utilize her Eldarine Tree Domain stats for conquering new territory in the valley.

In order to make the best use of her time and skills, Rialyne thought it would be better to conquer a swathe of low-strength territory and then take the cool-down time to battle against monsters and increase stats through Sap. She would use her Main Domain stats to take down a monster and then use the Calopyrus's [ Sap (Ultimate) ] to boost her new tree. It would be power leveling at its finest!

'Hmm…I feel like I'm forgetting something though…'

Amidst her excitement and deployed focus in the conquering of Engrain, Rialyne forgot about a poor little shiny cell who was desperately trying to make his way back to her.

"Master! Do I mean so little to you?!" Cardisys cried to himself on the other side of the valley wall.