Fang Hong snapped back to reality with a start. He looked around at the others, a bit bewildered, and curiously asked, "What's going on? What are you discussing?"
"More importantly," Reed scratched his chin fur with his paw, "what were you just thinking about?"
Fang Hong couldn't help but glance at the spot where the Dragon's Claw henchman had fallen.
Just now, he distinctly saw a black light rise from that place and strike his chest. It gave him quite a scare, but after checking, it seemed nothing had happened.
It was only when he subconsciously flipped through his character list that he surprisingly noticed an additional line under the Magical Points of the Magic Guided Reactor. It read:
Unknown Element - 1.
This attribute itself wasn't particularly strange—most Invokers had such an attribute line, known as Elemental Affinity. In Eteliria, Magic Power was characterized by elemental attributes, and to accommodate different attributes of elemental magic power, people often needed to possess different elemental affinities.
Otherwise, an (elemental) magic power erosion effect would occur. At its mildest, it could cause injury; at its worst, it could be fatal—
The higher the elemental affinity, the greater the amount of magic power that can be endured. Generally speaking, elemental affinity increases with the character's 'Level'. This also restricts the levels of Magic Guided Reactors that people can use.
Fang Hong himself lacked elemental affinity, or rather, his elemental affinity was non-attribute magic power (as is the case for ordinary people), but although he had no attribute, he still possessed an affinity 'Level', it just wasn't visible in everyday life.
However, considering his level, this value should be between two and three.
So what does this one-level unknown element mean? Since it's only level one, it certainly isn't his non-attribute magic affinity, and Fang Hong had never heard of the term 'unknown element'.
In Eteliria, people's knowledge consisted of only four elemental colors—Crimson Fire, Azure Sky, Ochre Earth, and Azure Water.
In addition, scholars believed in the existence of a fifth element, the Divine Element, Light. Light's Ether, long held as the power of the gods, was also the source of the techniques bestowed to their Believers.
However, whether Light's Ether counts as an element still hasn't been definitively concluded. Nonetheless, in Eteliria, Light Compatibility indeed exists and is even quite common, as only those with Light Magic Affinity are suitable to become Priests and Priests.
They are also those favored by the gods.
Beyond this, there is no sixth element.
Although the fact of the existence of Dark Force in Eteliria remains, first of all, no instance of Dark Ether compatibility has yet been discovered, neither in current times nor in historical records.
Secondly, Dark Force carries a unique 'corrosive' attribute, but it is not a pure existence—it is not an ether attribute, but rather a 'force' that can assimilate any elemental magic power except Light Ether.
Since it is not ether, it is not an element.
This is the general consensus.
And this was precisely why he was absent-minded.
Looking again at his character list, he asked in some surprise, "Didn't you see?"
"See what?"
"A black light—"
"Black light?"
"Yes, just now, from that Dragon's Claw henchman's body..." Fang Hong then recounted everything that had happened in detail, including the current state of his character list.
Reed and Ati were unfamiliar with the Summoners System, and the Elf Girl, after listening, simply furrowed her brow and asked, "Are you sure there's no problem, Ade? You said that black light hit your chest, and then what?"
"Nothing happened afterward. Miss Tata and I checked," Fang Hong shook his head and replied, "Miss Atira, I'm fine."
"You won't know until you check—put your hand out, youngster." The Big Catfolk spoke up.
Knowing Reed's expertise as a Paladin in dealing with Dark Forces, Fang Hong complied. The Big Catfolk's furry paw pressed onto his hand, and a faint light spread from his palm.
The light swept over Fang Hong.
Fang Hong took a slight step back and then looked at the Big Catfolk.
Reed showed a surprised expression, squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then shook his head, "It seems there's truly no problem, not even a trace of Dark Force feedback—"
But then a hint of a smile appeared on the Big Catfolk's face, "But that little guy inside you is baring its teeth and protesting at me."
Fang Hong looked and saw Nini waving her tiny fist in a huff, as if she'd just been woken up.
He quickly comforted her, coaxing her back to sleep—a newborn Little Dragon Soul always needs more rest.
"So what's the situation?" Atira asked.
And Elisa, more familiar with the Summoners System, speculated after a moment's thought, "…Maybe Mr. Ade absorbed Nikopolas's power, possibly. Don't forget how Nini came to be."
Fang Hong couldn't help but glance at his chest, right where the Ring of Golden Flame was. He reached out and grasped the pendant, almost feeling a faint warmth.
"So, this elemental affinity?"
"It's the Dark Element, isn't it? Nikopolas wielded such power. You absorbed her power, thus gaining Dark Elemental Affinity, which would seem reasonable?" Elisa replied.
"But is the Dark Element truly an element?" Fang Hong retorted, "And why does it show up as an unknown element? Moreover, I definitely can't sense the existence of Dark Ether, which seems a bit surprising compared to the general sense of elemental affinity."