Chương 15: B1 | Chapter 14

Aidan I feel more than a little surprised by her words, but she doesn't waste any time as she asks, "What level is your Profession at right now?" Getting right into it then…

"My Profession is currently level eighteen," I answer without any further hesitation. Because why would I ever reject free lessons that can help me grow stronger? It doesn't matter why she's teaching me. Although that thing about her kin is interesting.

"Then you should have all of the skills you need to get started," she states.

"Your level 25 skill isn't necessary to create voidlings." My level 25 skill? Does that mean I'll be getting my next skills at level 25 in both Class and Profession? Or maybe just Profession? I'll ask her later. Lessons come first.

"To create a voidling, or what the outsiders refer to as a void creature, the most important part is the void core," the Void Empress says while holding her hand out and ejecting some sort of black mist that feels similar to the energy in my void claws from her palm. Probably void mana. And in seconds, that black mist condenses to form a single sphere, with said sphere hardening in seconds to form an orb of pure darkness floating inches above her hand.

"Without a void core like this, voidlings cannot exist." I study the void core for several seconds, looking at it from every angle. But I can't find anything out about how to make one of my own no matter how hard I stare at it.

"Use your aura," the Void Empress says after a few seconds.

"Focus on your aura and think about condensing it down to just the void core." My aura? I focus on the aura that's been ever-present since I got the skill. Then I think about it shrinking and focusing on just the orb. And it does exactly what I'm thinking. A little too easily at that. Before I can think about that, I feel information registering in my mind from the void core.

Including but not limited to the density of the void mana inside of it, the intricate methods of linking together all of the mana to form a sort of self-replicating mana core that can create more and more mana of the same type of it.

"Every living being requires a constant expenditure of mana to operate," she explains without even the slightest change in her expression.

"The body requires mana to generate blood and move, the soul requires mana to operate a body, and the mind requires mana to run the soul. But while creatures born inside of the universe and the System are given mana by their surroundings to operate, such as breathing or eating, voidlings cannot do the same. They are born in the endless abyss of the void with nothing but a void core forever replicating their mana at a gradual pace."

The Void Empress lifts the void core upwards before creating a body around the core using more black mist void mana. A body of some sort of six-legged beast with a sleek and shiny black carapace that's practically armor, two segments to its body with a head attached to the front segment, and multiple large and not symmetrically sized mandibles in front of its mouth. It almost looks like a combination of an ant and some sort of carnivorous animal.

With the segment connector being barely thinner than the two segments themselves, and the rear segment being a lot longer than the front segment. The legs also look a lot thicker than an insect's legs would normally be despite clearly being insect-like in nature. And it's spanning about two meters in length with two black orbs for eyes.

"When the void core is placed inside of a body, or a body is formed around the void core, the void mana generated within the void core will automatically fuel the body, granting it life until the void core is destroyed," she continues as the body twitches and I sense void mana beginning to fill it through my aura.

"But it will be an empty vessel without a mind or a soul until one is created to fill it." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The Void Empress quickly raises her other hand before more void mana spills out and this time just forms a thick black mist above her hand with a pale blue light shining within it. A pale blue light seemingly coming from a mana core she is now holding in her other hand.

"Voidlings' souls, bodies, and minds are entirely alien from the universe and the System," she explains as the black mist and pale blue light stabilize and merge. Giving the black mist a faint pale blue glow to it despite still being black in color.

"A voidling's soul is made of void mana that has been bestowed source mana, while its body is made purely of void mana that can be molded to suit our needs. However, voidlings are inherently creatures of the void regardless of their creator. So their appearances will always be somewhat insect-like in nature. And their minds are made entirely out of a tiny scrap of source mana mixed with void mana. The difference between their minds and souls is entirely in the nature of the source mana."

I glance at the mana core in her hand as I ask, "Is it that the soul is made from source mana obtained from items while the mind is from the source mana of living creatures?" She blinks at me before nodding her head as the mana core shatters and she pulls out a large and very dead rabbit in its place. Then she begins draining the source mana from the rabbit corpse and sending it into the glowing mist, making a golden glow merge with the pale blue light.

"Correct," she answers.

"But not just from items. Any physical object that was never living can be used to make a soul. Which includes a monster's mana core, since a mana core's essential nature is just a mana stabilizer for monsters and not their mana generator like a void core." I watch her silently put the mist inside of the voidling body she created before the body's legs begin to twitch. Once, then twice. Then a third time. And finally, the ant-animal hybrid thing begins to move.

But all it does is look over at the two of us and lower its head as if submitting to us. I identify the thing out of curiosity. [Level 25 Voidling Drone] This thing is a higher level than me… Then again, the Void Empress is far higher than just Bronze Tier, so I'm a little surprised it's only Bronze Tier itself. Unless it's because the core she used is a Bronze Tier core? That could be it.

"The biggest differences between the voidlings' minds and souls and those of the universe and System lie in their ties to the Void Realm and their absolute hierarchy," the Void Empress continues.

"Voidlings are naturally more powerful than universe creatures in areas weaker in mana since they have their own void core to supply their mana. While the creatures of the universe must be able to gather mana from their surroundings. Which isn't a problem for lower Tier creatures whose bodies take up such little mana that they could never exhaust an area of mana no matter how many they number.

But higher Tier creatures will eventually find problems with their mana regeneration slowing down and temporarily draining their surroundings should there be too many higher Tier creatures around them." After that, she glances between me and the voidling as she tells me, "Order it to do something." I blink before turning to the creature and ordering it to move around in a circle. Which it does immediately and without hesitation.

"Voidlings have the hierarchy of the Void Realm imprinted on their minds, bodies, and souls by the void mana they're born to the moment they come into existence," she explains.

"They naturally feel that the hierarchy is absolute and they feel no anger or dislike for serving one above them in the hierarchy. It is only normal for them. And no voidling has ever broken the hierarchy before." That surprises me.

"What happens if they do?" I ask with a slight tilt of my head. She turns her gaze towards me and answers, "They can't. Your level twenty-five Profession Skill will ensure that no matter what happens, be it mind control or hypnotization, the voidlings are unable to betray you. But even before receiving that skill, unless they are mind-controlled, they will see you as their absolute superior." Huh. It seems there are a lot of things that are absolute with the voidlings.

The Void Empress turns her gaze back to the voidling as she continues, "There are two types of voidling minds. Sapient and non-sapient minds. One type of voidling called a drone, such as this example here, cannot think or do anything other than obey orders. The other type of voidling can think, plan, and strategize." She turns back to me again.

"Beyond their minds, there are different types of voidling bodies, including broodmothers – which can birth drones from devouring living creatures – and soldiers – which fight to protect the void hives. But for the Tutorial, I will just have you create a single drone. Do that and you may pass the third floor." Why do I feel like she's planning on teaching me even after I leave the Tutorial? Just judging by those last statements…

I shake that thought out of my mind for now as I begin to focus on the voidling drone in front of me. Time to try this out myself.