"Ah, big sister..." Aphryne spoke up.
Turning her head, she looked toward Clentine. Currently, she was lying comfortably on the grassy plains with her head resting on Aezaleon’s thigh. Having long since recovered from the emotional damage inflicted upon her, she was once again enjoying herself while her husband played with her silky violet-crimson hair and gently stroked her head.
"Hm?" Clentine raised a brow. "Yes?"
The sudden interruption imdiately drew the attention of everyone present. Without wasting ti, Aphryne got straight to the point.
"Now that we’re all here, why don’t you tell us more about that power system that is separate from Ascension Ranks?" She tilted her head slightly. "The one related to physical strength and overall combat capability."
The mont she ntioned it, realization imdiately appeared on Auguszta’s face. "Oh! Right." Her eyes lit up; apparently, she had rembered it as well. Anastasia, however, looked confused.
"Husband doesn’t know about it?" The question escaped her almost instinctively. Then she paused. A mont later, she rembered Aezaleon’s actual age, and understanding imdiately dawned upon her. "Oh," she whispered, her lips parting slightly as she stared at him. A peculiar light appeared within her deep crimson eyes. When one considered just how young Aezaleon truly was, the fact that he lacked knowledge about certain foundational aspects of the world suddenly beca much more understandable.
anwhile, Aezaleon himself looked completely confused. The more they reacted, the less he understood. As a result, he imdiately shifted his attention toward Clentine. The others did the sa, several pairs of eyes settling upon her simultaneously. Clentine looked at the group, then she chuckled. The amusent in her expression was impossible to miss. Clearly, she already knew exactly what they wanted to hear. And so, without requiring any further prompting, she began her explanation.
"The Form Fortification Frawork." The mont those words left her mouth, everyone’s attention beca fully focused on her. "It is a developntal frawork dedicated to the strengthening and refinent of one’s foundational existence." Her voice remained calm and asured. "The frawork governs the fortification of the body, soul, energy channels, and other structural components that together support an individual’s existence. Unlike Ascension, its purpose is not to directly increase destructive power, offensive capability, or mastery over reality."
Clentine paused briefly. "Instead, Form Fortification improves durability, structural stability, burden tolerance, resistance to external influences, and the capacity to safely contain, wield, and survive increasingly powerful energies, concepts, laws, abilities, and forms of existence."
Aezaleon listened attentively. This was already far more important than he had initially expected.
"Throughout the mortal stages, from Ascension Rank One to Ascension Rank Six, Form Fortification develops as a separate frawork alongside Ascension itself." She continued, "The two grow together, influence one another, and support one another, yet they remain distinct systems. However, that separation only exists up until immortality." A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Once an individual successfully transcends mortality and achieves true immortality—becoming a Transcendent or an Immortal—the frawork reaches the required completion. At that point, its perfected structure becos fully integrated into the individual’s ascended existence and ceases to function as an independent developntal pathway."
A thoughtful silence followed. The explanation itself was simple, yet the implications behind it were enormous.
"To understand the Form Fortification Frawork properly," Clentine said, shifting slightly as she looked at the group, "it is best to examine the eight core functions that form its foundation."
Everyone listened attentively.
"The first function is the strengthening of the physical body. Form Fortification continuously improves natural strength, endurance, durability, resilience, and overall physical performance."
"The second function is the reinforcent of the soul vessel itself. It strengthens the structural stability of the soul, improves spiritual integrity, and increases resistance against taphysical attacks, spiritual corruption, mory rewriting, and other forms of soul-targeting influences."
"The third function is the fortification of the energy channels and circulation system. This allows the vessel to safely handle stronger, denser, and more volatile forms of physical or taphysical energy without suffering damage."
"The fourth function is the improvent of structural burden tolerance. As individuals grow stronger, they inevitably begin wielding more powerful abilities, concepts, laws, elental powers, and other extraordinary forces. Form Fortification increases the vessel’s ability to withstand those burdens without destabilizing."
"The fifth function is enhanced regeneration and recovery. Both the material and spiritual aspects of the vessel beco more efficient at recovering from damage, strain, exhaustion, and overuse."
"The sixth function is overload resistance. Form Fortification reduces the risk of internal collapse, self-destruction, destabilization, and other consequences caused by attempting to wield power beyond one’s current limits."
"The seventh function is existential refinent and purification. The frawork gradually refines the overall vessel, preparing it for higher stages of Ascension, evolution, and future breakthroughs."
"And lastly, the eighth function is perhaps the most important." Clentine’s expression beca slightly more serious. "Form Fortification serves as the mandatory stabilizing foundation required for immortality. Without sufficient fortification, the process of Ascension toward immortality becos extraordinarily dangerous. An incomplete vessel will simply collapse when attempting the fusion of its material and spiritual cores."
A thoughtful silence followed. Only now was Aezaleon beginning to understand why the frawork was considered so important despite not directly increasing one’s destructive power. Seeing their expressions, Clentine continued.
"Now, as for the ranks themselves... the first stage is Rank One—Initial Fortification."
"This is the stage where the vessel undergoes its first true strengthening. The body, soul vessel, and basic energy channels begin adapting to the presence of supernatural energy. The improvents are relatively minor, but they establish the foundation for everything that follows. Individuals gain increased endurance, slight physical reinforcent, and the ability to safely circulate basic energy through their systems."
She paused briefly before moving on.
"The second stage is Rank Two—Minor Fortification."
"At this level, the vessel becos noticeably more stable and resilient. Internal structures are strengthened, spiritual stability improves, and energy tolerance increases considerably. Durability, recovery, and resistance to strain all improve, allowing the individual to safely wield stronger energies and endure minor supernatural burdens without suffering significant consequences."
Aezaleon nodded. The progression felt logical.
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