[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked the Flame Spirit Form of the First Circle!]
[Ding! The host! You've also received your first Bloodline Title, Child of Fire!]
"Hmm... a new form? And the title?" Idan wasn't too surprised by the notifications from the System, but he was interested in them.
Idan's attention was drawn to his own condition. He could still feel the echoes of the pain he had experienced recently.
Idan looked at his hands and body and froze.
"What the..." His entire arm and body were engulfed in flames. No, his whole body felt like it was made of fire.
Looking at his new body, Idan felt a strange excitement.
"So this is the form of the Flame Spirit of the First Circle?" asked Idan, still looking at his hand. Then he looked around.
Everything around Idan was destroyed by a massive explosion of energy. Trees and land in a radius of about 100 meters were torn out. And everything was ablaze.
Idan was surprised that he could feel everything around him, where the flames were raging. His spiritual perception allowed him to notice the slightest changes in the area engulfed by fire.
"The system..." — Idan, without taking his eyes off the surrounding environment, turned to the system. Knowing what the Host wanted to know, she immediately replied.
[Host, the Flame Spirit form of the First Circle is a unique state related to Spirit forms that all beings in the Junonia world can achieve by meeting certain conditions.]
"What are these conditions?" Idan asked.
[The key condition required for all beings to achieve this Spirit form is a certain affinity and mastery in their element.]
[Master, you have fulfilled this condition when you have fully mastered your Alpha Fire bloodline.]
[The Alpha race in Junonia are the creatures closest to mana and magic, who from birth possess the highest affinity to their elements. Almost without exception, every Alpha attains the form of a Spirit.]
Idan exclaimed, realizing why he had reached this state so suddenly. "What about Izzy? She's also considered a Spirit, isn't she?"
[Spirits and Spirit form are completely different concepts, Host. Spirits are beings born from mana and magic, whereas the Spirit form is a state that a being can achieve!]
"What about the title?"
[Bloodline Title! Host!] the System corrected Idan.
[That's exactly what it's called. This title only applies to your Bloodline and your Flame Spirit form! This is not the title of the System, do not confuse it.]
After these words from the System, Idan realized that the title "Child of Fire" was solely related to his form of the Flame Spirit of the First Circle, and not to the System.
[The title "Child of Fire" grants you affinity to all fire-type creatures and beyond. As long as there is a fire source around you, your stamina, regeneration, mana, and all other stats will be increased, and your recovery speed will increase significantly.]
"Wow!" — this was a real surprise for Idan.
Idan looked down at his body again. All of his clothes were destroyed in the moment of the explosion, when he completely transformed into the form of a Fire Spirit. Now he stood naked in the middle of a sea of fire, but in this form he had nothing worth hiding. On the one hand, it was a bit strange for Idan.
"So, I'm asexual in this form?" he wondered, unable to take his eyes off a certain spot.
[In this form, yes, you are asexual, Host.] the System's voice sounded in his head.
Idan was aware that his current Flame Spirit form was only temporary. He understood that he did not have to be in this form all the time, and that it was required only in certain circumstances.
Only after all this did Idan pay attention to the Madness Energy surrounding him and frowned. He was surprised that the concentration and amount of this energy were too low, not even reaching the level of the middle layer of the Doppelganger Forest.
After some thought, Idan came to a definite conclusion. There was only one possible explanation for what was happening with the Energy of Madness.
"System, explain what you're up to?" he asked.
Idan was sure that after the explosion, that amount of Energy couldn't just disappear into thin air. Especially considering that he had clearly felt his bloodline absorbing all this huge amount of energy earlier. But now, it was as if it had dissolved, and his bloodline seemed to have no relation to this huge amount of Madness Energy anymore.
[Host, this System has made a decision and blocked a significant portion of the Madness Energy during your transformation into the Flame Spirit form. Otherwise, the consequences could have been much more devastating.]
Idan frowned, finding something strange in the System's words, but then his thoughts suddenly shifted to something else.
"And what do you suggest we do about it?" Idan asked, a little confused by the sudden change.
[Host. After you have fully mastered your first bloodline, this System invites you to take the ascension trials using the Energy of Madness and make a breakthrough to the next level.]
Idan was pleasantly surprised by such an unexpected offer.
Previously, the System offered to take control of their bloodlines first, and then take the ascension trial. Now that Idan had just taken control of his bloodline, the System immediately offered him a trial.
Idan understood that Arabel had not yet managed to take control of her bloodline, unless in the short time that they had been apart, she had not managed to do so. But he considered it unlikely.
"What about Arabel? She hasn't taken control of her bloodline yet, has she?" — Idan decided to clarify.
[Synchronization with your partner's first bloodline has reached 80 percent, which is fully compliant and will not entail any negative consequences if both of you successfully pass the ascension trial. Your partner will still have the opportunity to fully master their bloodline.]
Idan calmed down a bit after hearing the System's words. He did not want to deprive Arabel of the chance to realize her full potential for the sake of rapid growth in power.
[Host, have you forgotten the uniqueness of this System?] The System suddenly asked.
Idan was puzzled by this question at first, but then he immediately understood what the System meant.
Their System was a pair System.
[Due to this uniqueness, the most important thing is for one of the Hosts to reach a certain level, and the second one will be brought up to that level. Therefore, it will never happen that one of you is much stronger than the other. Your abilities will always be balanced and equal.]
The system paused briefly and then continued:
[At this point, you've got an opportunity and you've moved forward a bit, and you can pull your partner up. But that doesn't mean it will always be . There are many opportunities in the world, and maybe next time your partner will be luckier and she will take a step forward. And it will help you move forward too.]
"Okay, the System, You win," Idan said after listening to the System's reasoning about its uniqueness.
"Ask Arabel if she agrees. If so, I'm ready!"