Chapter 408: A Phantom Demon Heart
[Sin Enhancement], among the exclusive weapons of the Great Sin Scholar, it is second in importance only to Burn Card.
It is commonly known as "Enhancement" or "Fusion Card."
A Sin Card that's enhanced will have its upright effects slightly strengthened, but this isn't the important part.
After all, a few percentage points of damage value won't make much difference; the important thing is the reversed effect—the summoned Great Sin Beast itself will receive an attribute enhancement. The attribute bonuses from multiple fused cards are cumulative... In the game, the value is 5% per card, so fusing five cards would result in a 25% enhancement.
The Great Sin Beast's baseline stats are already high, and with this boost, the enhancement's proportion will be even greater.
An enhancement of 5% to a Demon Dog's stats might not even be noticeable; but if a raid boss gets a 5% boost on all attributes, that's enough to wipe the whole raid.
In his past life, Aiwass saw in forums and video sites raid strategies that sometimes included some rather unorthodox formations. By using specific Great Sin Beasts with special card decks, they could achieve the effect of a "luxurious four protect one."
Normally, the Great Sin Scholar is a class with high operational demands, capable of dual-line burst. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire
That is, by operating on two fronts, quickly switching out different Great Sin Beasts during critical moments to unleash skills, then switching out the beasts after using their skills; meanwhile, the player themselves must also rapidly draw cards and release a variety of instant-cast skills. At other times, they rely solely on the continuous damage from the standing Great Sin Beasts.
However, "Fusion Card" is another playstyle, and one that's more suitable for Aiwass's current situation.
Which is the "standby style" playstyle.
From start to finish, use only one Great Sin Beast that can target the boss, and all cards are used to enhance that Great Sin Beast, or strengthen it with fusion cards to amplify its attributes. Aside from this, carry only a small number of cards for self-protection. The remaining Great Sin Beasts don't join the battle or only do so at the beginning to mark a health threshold, or at the end for a burst of damage.
In a sense, this effect might be more suitable for the current Aiwass than Burn Card!
—Because he doesn't have any other Great Sin Beasts to switch to!
Aiwass, currently logged cards—[Blade of Shadows], [Thunder Javelin], [Earthbound Spirit] can all be cast using the mana of Darkness attribute, meaning they all could be used to enhance the Night Fiend!
The Night Fiend, already at the Sixth Power Level, reaching the peak of the world, being further enhanced by 15%...
Aiwass thought about this and decided to give it a try.
He stretched out his hand and pressed it toward [The Grimoire of Aiwass].
Cards appeared neatly in his consciousness, while many more were just dark voids.
Even with the book's cover closed, Aiwass could easily confirm which cards he had logged in each slot.
As Aiwass thought to move, the illuminated [Moon], [Death], [Wheel of Destiny] turned into streaks of light that spiraled into the clear and profound card, as dark as black crystal.
"Night Fiend—"
Accompanied by Aiwass's muttering, the Flame Butterfly, which had been quietly sitting on his shoulder, suddenly burst into sparks and vanished into the air.
Immediately following, the scattering sparks collapsed into the void, turning into a pitch-black card marked roughly with crow patterns in blood-like lines.
Before Aiwass could touch it, the card spun half a turn and then shattered.
Dark purple lightning and black whirlwinds surged out of the void, as Ligeia couldn't help but inhale sharply.
—As one of the strongest in Avalon, even among the world's elite, she actually felt a distinct sense of danger from the Night Fiend summoned by Aiwass!
"My master..."
Vinesse whispered softly.
Unlike the voices of Miss Assassin and Beyard from before.
She didn't open her mouth, but the low murmuring sound, like a whisper in the ear, came through.
The broken crimson lines upon her pale and pristine body were akin to a holy statue cracking and bleeding from within.
Shadows entwined around the Night Fiend's form, her crow-like black wings unfolded slightly behind her, countless shadow feathers scattering in the air, yet melting away before they could touch the ground, like snowflakes.
Aiwass raised his head, observing the Night Fiend, fragmented like a broken doll, looking at the two red streaks on her face.
He suddenly recalled everything he had seen in his hallucination just now—
Vinesse lifted her head amidst the blood rain, her face silently marked by two trails of blood tears.
...and at this moment, the fissures on the Night Fiend's face closely mirrored the pathways of those blood tears.
Besides, the three wounds, three gates, that Aiwass had previously opened on himself had also transferred to the Night Fiend. In their corresponding places, she too bore three strange scars.
The one on the neck like a crescent moon, the one on the abdomen like a full moon, and the one on the chest like a spider's web... or perhaps The Sun.
Remembering the visions during the contract, Aiwass suddenly understood why Vinesse was the Beast of Envy, why she had taken such an instant liking to Number 14...
Aiwass still remembered what Number 14 looked like.
—She resembled the young Vinesse so much... it wasn't just the appearance, even the aura was somewhat similar.
Seeing her, Vinesse must have been reminded of her own past. Thinking back to the damp and cold night of rain, recalling how she helplessly walked the streets... thinking of her friendless childhood.
From beginning to end, Vinesse was alone.
Her parents didn't care for her, no friend understood her, and she was even betrayed and killed. Her remains became the Son of the Moon, and her angry spirit became the Shadow Demon—but not even the Son of the Moon had friends amongst their kind, and the Shadow Demon had no Demon companions either.