Heroine Creation: All My Summons Are Custom Made

[ Character Exploration: Conversing with your created Heroine and taking part in activities connected to her motives, personality and backstory will increase Character Exploration. ]

[ Increased Character Exploration improves Synergy, Skill Transfer and personal stat gains. ]

Lancet slowed in the corridor outside Solaris’s apartment and read the explanation again.

That was the same rule the system had shown him after Espel. Spending time with a Heroine did not automatically count. The interaction had to touch something that belonged to her character. Her desires. Her fears. Her past. The parts of her that made her more than a useful collection of Skills.

Today had apparently counted. The system opened Solaris’s entry first.

[ New Summon Registered ]

[ Solaris Ashen ] [ Class: Fire Mage ] [ Summon Role: Breaker Summon ]

In combat terms, the Breaker Role belonged to the game changer, the one whose job was to break the opponents and tip the battle in their team’s favor.

Since that wasn’t the point of this notification, Lancet moved on to the next display.

[ Character Exploration Achieved: Solaris Ashen ]

[ Relevant Actions Detected: ] [ Your explanation of the present world and politics attacked her personal bias and beliefs, making her rethink her strategy. ] [ You allowed her to experience ordinary enjoyment after two lives dominated by war, duty and death, which made her reminisce of when she was younger. ] [ You supported her motive by acquiring modern maps and historical material concerning Cinderhold. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: F → D ]

Lancet stopped near the lift. ”I see.”

He had spent one afternoon with Solaris. A cab ride, an apartment, shopping and several boxes of cereal had apparently done more for their connection than weeks of ordinary conversation might have.

Then again, almost everything they had done had forced Solaris to engage with the present. She had worn unfamiliar clothes, entered a vehicle for the first time, chosen a home, bought food and watched Cinderhold discussed on television as though it were a dead piece of history.

Even the enjoyable parts had mattered because Solaris had admitted she had not done anything for pleasure since childhood.

Lancet was starting to understand.

Ding!

[ Character Exploration Progress Updated ]

[ Astensia Valengard ]

Lancet’s attention sharpened.

[ Exploration Summary: During the Deathrock operation, Astensia acted according to her belief in justice, protection and righteous duty. Her faith in lawful authority was tested when the Kingdom’s own restrictions prevented action against a hidden Demon operation. ]

[ By entering the restricted half-citadel and clearing the Demon infestation despite official orders, she witnessed that breaking the law could still serve justice especially when the law protected inaction. ]

[ During the Kingdom Council hearing, she saw conventional testimony fail to overcome suspicion and political caution. Spectra’s unconventional use of the dead Demon Head forced the truth into the open and achieved the justice Astensia sought. ]

[ Astensia Valengard’s character exploration has caused her to begin separating justice from obedience. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: C → B ]

That made sense! Character Exploration was one of the best ways for him to personally evolve the characters of his Heroines. For them to grow and change opinions on certain things.

Their escapades in Deathrock and the Kingdom Hall explored Astensia’s personality and belief in justice. It was character growth driven by his own action.

The next entry appeared.

[ Kestrel Highcastle ]

[ Exploration Summary: Lancet’s training on the Stone Castles mirrored Kestrel Highcastle’s own years beneath Swordsmaster Ugbard. ]

[ Through teaching grip, balance, step-linking, natural Grace flow and body-sword unity, Kestrel relived the foundations of her own path. ]

[ Lancet’s failures, persistence and eventual progress caused Kestrel to recognize parts of herself in her student. ]

[ During breaks, you and her talked about Ugbard, her training, her last duel and her desire to become the greatest Swordsmaster in the world. ]

[ Teaching Lancet allowed Kestrel Highcastle to continue the path her death interrupted. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: E → C ]

Lancet grinned. ”That mountain nearly killed me, so I’ll take it.”

[ Thor Stormchild ]

[ Exploration Summary: Thor Stormchild entered Deathrock still regarding Spectra Hexerra primarily as a Demoness and an agent of Gloom. ]

[ Spectra’s actions challenged Thor’s belief that everything connected to Demons or Gloom was inherently evil. ]

[ Thor watched Spectra protect the team, confront the Purgatory Demons alone and place herself between danger and those she had once mocked. ]

[ Thor has begun accepting Spectra not merely as a tolerated ally, but as a sister and full member of Lancet’s team. ]

[ Her view of Demonic power has not vanished, but it has become less absolute. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: C → C+ ]

Lancet’s smile softened.

Thor would probably deny half of that if the system said it aloud in front of her.

She still called Spectra ”Demoness” as though it were both an insult and a title. Yet when Spectra had flown toward the Purgatory horde alone, Thor had been the first to object.

The next panel appeared.

[ Espel Fyrebloom ]

Lancet expected little movement. Espel had mostly stayed quiet through the journey.

The system disagreed.

[ Exploration Summary: Espel Fyrebloom observed the growing unity between Lancet and the other Heroines throughout Deathrock and the Kingdom Council hearing. ]

[ Though she rarely spoke, she experienced jealousy at the ease with which Lancet connected to the others. ]

[ She began questioning whether her rejection of emotion had left her outside a connection she now wanted to understand. ]

[ She considered whether it was this fear of death she disliked that created their unity rather than cause irrationality. ]

[ Espel Fyrebloom has begun recognizing connection as something separate from emotional weakness. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: A → A+ ]

Lancet looked surprised. If things went on this way, he might stop Espel before she becomes a full blown villainess and begin her mission to rid the world from life and death or the emotion both truths cause.

Next was Spectra.

[ Spectra Hexerra ]

[ Exploration Summary: Spectra Hexerra faced Purgatory Demons for the first time since the fall of Dakatharit. ]

[ Their arrival forced her to relive Baal’s assault, when the Demon Lord brought Purgatory forces to reclaim his brother Baphomet after Spectra bound him. ]

[ Spectra confronted the creatures connected to her defeat, suffering and death, then chose to face them again in defense of Lancet and the other Heroines. ]

[ Seeing Baal through the dark mirror instigated her trauma. It restored memories of their final conflict and reignited her motive to hunt and kill the Demon Lords. ]

[ At the Kingdom Council, Spectra entered an institution descended from the Council that restricted her powers, isolated her, punished her and contributed to her death. ]

[ The present Council acknowledged the crimes of its predecessors and apologized for their treatment of her. Spectra did not forgive them completely, but part of her long hatred weakened. ]

[ Spectra Hexerra’s trauma, vengeance, distrust and capacity for attachment were explored extensively. ]

[ Magical Synergy Increased: F → B ]

Lancet stared at the final grade. ”From F to B.”

No one else had moved that far.

Spectra had been the least explored Heroine before Deathrock, despite carrying one of the longest and most violent histories among them. Then the journey had dragged almost every important part of that history into the present at once.

Purgatory. Baal. Baphomet. The Kingdom Council.

In fact, now he thought about it, everything that happened from Deathrock to the council seemed to revolve around her.

The system gathered the entries into a single roster.

[ Character Exploration Roster ]

[ Astensia Valengard — Magical Synergy: B ]

[ Thor Stormchild — Magical Synergy: C+ ]

[ Spectra Hexerra — Magical Synergy: B ]

[ Espel Fyrebloom — Magical Synergy: A+ ]

[ Kestrel Highcastle — Magical Synergy: C ]

[ Solaris Ashen — Magical Synergy: D ]

Espel remained highest. Their ’sexcapades’ at the beginning was what gave her such a high rating. In fact, it was the biggest activity that directly explored motives and beliefs.

Still, it felt strange, considering how much longer he had known Astensia. But the system was not measuring affection, loyalty or time spent together. It was measuring how deeply the character had been explored.

A new notification opened beneath the roster.

[ Magical Synergy Milestone Information ]

[ At Magical Synergy Rank S, the Heroine’s powers may be used without the Phantom Ring. ]

Lancet stopped walking.

[ Rank S Skill Transfer removes the requirement for a Phantom Ring. ]

[ The transferred power may also be accessed without the normal borrowing drawback. ]

His eyes widened. ”Woah.” People passing through the corridor glanced at him but Lancet ignored them.

Did the system just say at an S-Grade Synergy he could use the skills of a Heroine without the Phantom Ring? Without charges and all that?

He wouldn’t have to desperately calculate whether he could afford to borrow another Skill or wait to use it later?

Fucking awesome!

[ Character Synergy is divided into two forms: ]

[ Natural Synergy and Magical Synergy ]

[ Natural Synergy develops through repeated combat, coordinated movement and practical teamwork between Lancet and a Heroine. It consists primarily of shared timing, battle familiarity, prediction and muscle memory. ]

[ The more often Lancet and a Heroine fight together, the more naturally each understands the other’s positioning, intent and combat rhythm. ]

[ Natural Synergy Ranking:

Astensia Valengard - 78%

Thor Stormchild - 62%

Kestrel Highcastle - 51%

Spectra Hexerra - 26%

Espel Fyrebloom - 15%

Solaris Ashen - 0% ]

That all made sense.

Lancet and Astensia had fought together the most. From the Academy’s Dungeon expeditions to the Demon Breaks. The connection did not require the system to make them stronger. It came simply from repetition.

[ Magical Synergy develops through Character Exploration. ]

[ You were brought into this world to create powerful, complete and story-driven characters. ]

[ When the motives, history, personality and development of a created Heroine are explored through real events, the system recognizes the continued growth of that character. ]

[ Greater Character Exploration impresses the system and deepens the magical connection between you and your Heroine. ]

[ Only Magical Synergy can increase Skill Transfer efficiency, borrowed Skill potency and stat benefits. ]

Lancet leaned against the corridor wall. His mind broke up and understanding rushed in like a waterfall.

He had been sent into this world to create better characters. But it didn’t end there. The system wanted those characters to keep developing after creation.

It rewarded him when their stories moved, when their beliefs were challenged, when their motives were explored and so on. It didn’t just end in the character creation screen.

[ When you borrow a Skill from a Heroine, the Skill is reduced to match your level, channels and physical limits. ]

[ Magical Synergy carries part of the transferred burden and preserves a greater percentage of the original Skill’s output. ]

[ Higher Magical Synergy results in less reduction. ]

Lancet’s eyes widened. ”Talk about a game changer!”

This was the best news ever! He understood that problem too well. Astensia could swing the Blessed Blade and erase twenty Demons with one Skill. When Lancet borrowed the same Skill through the Phantom Ring, he would kill only five.

Sometimes fewer.

The Skill was hers, but his Level could not support what she did with it. The Ring forced the power down until it fit him.

Magical Synergy would help it fit without crushing as much of the strength out of it.

Lancet smiled slowly. ”Finally. More awesome stuff. This system now feels like a real golden finger.”

Lancet dismissed the explanations and called the cab registered near Solaris’s apartment.

Thankfully, his next plan already involved spending a great deal of time with one of his Summons. Possibly two, if the situation he suspected actually developed.

That should push Character Exploration forward without him forcing hollow conversations just to please the system. The events ahead touched directly on who they were and what they wanted.

Things were looking up.