Chapter 319: Kneeling today to rise tomorrow
Fuse Abilities? Kai couldn't even comprehend what it meant. How could just one fuse Abilities? What would he get if he were to fuse them?
Seeing Kai's puzzled face, Shadow Origin said, "Kid, Contestants like you must know the burden of having over one Ability. In a Contestant's journey to ascend the floors, Skills serve the part of major support, and they represent the essence of having Stats. Abilities, however, are needed to be cultivated. They don't have any specific activation like Skills, which uses MP, HP, or SP automatically to work once activated. To use an Ability, one must think, calculate, and learn. To use two Abilities, the same process must be done simultaneously. One can even say that using two Abilities is like solving two distinct problems side by side. It's not just multitasking, but it's something that transcends that. The more the Abilities, the more difficult it becomes to use them together."
Shadow Origin's words resonated with Kai's heart. Even Item-M hadn't told him about it. However, the truly horrific thing was that Kai felt no such burden. From his childhood he had been multitasking, solving not one, but half a dozen problems together. How could a puny thing like activating three or four Abilities could pose any difficulty to him? Not to mention, since his arrival, Kai had always used many Abilities simultaneously, feeling no awkwardness. If Shadow Origin were to know Kai's thoughts, he might just cough out blood. But he didn't, so the sponsor continued.
"So, the most natural way to lessen this burden is to fuse the Abilities," Shadow Origin told Kai. "From your look, I can tell that you are questioning the concept of this fusion. Hmm, you must have a Sword-related Ability and a movement-related Ability, right? Can't you imagine the benefits of having a single Ability, encompassing the nature of these Abilities?"
'This…' Kai's eyes widened. How could he not imagine? He had even done it before. Why did Kai love his Elementary Snake Instinct Ability so much? It was because of this. Snake Instinct, though quite vague and unimpressive at a glance, had let Kai link his Twin-Saber Style and his Slither Steps, boosting his fighting capabilities to another realm. In a way, Snake Instinct fused these Abilities, letting Kai gain Proficiency in them higher than if he were to use them alone. But here came the absurdity of fusion.
Using Snake Instinct, Twin-Saber Style, and Slither Steps needed Kai to think of three things. Not to mention, with his increasing dependence on Telekinesis and Emotions Manipulation, it became five. Now, it didn't burden Kai much having five things to do simultaneously, either. But he couldn't help but accept that it did decrease the Proficiency he gained after each battle. What if he could do all that in just one thought? What if there was one Ability that could replace his sword, movement, and instinct?
'The things he could do then…' Kai licked his lips, thinking of the prospects. "There must be some condition to fuse the Abilities, right?" he asked, looking thoughtful. "It isn't like any two Abilities can be fused."
Shadow Origin chuckled. "You are good," he praised. "Generally, it depends on a Contestant and his fighting style. But there are conditions, indeed. First, the Abilities can only be fused into an Ability that makes sense to the Systems, not some wishful thinking. Second, one must grasp the precise timing of gaining this new Ability, matching it with the loss of Abilities one already has. If done correctly, the lost Abilities will fuse into the newly gained Ability. For example, many magical-based Abilities can be fused. When one thinks of Magic, the word Mana naturally pops up in mind. But Magic has myriad forms, and Mana isn't the only one necessary for it.
"Some Magic need MP like the one in Harry Potter World. Some Magic need SP like Kido from the Bleach World. And some Magic needs a combination of MP, SP, and even HP like Sorcery from Marvel. These obviously can be fused into one. Can you see the true potential of having the Multiverse ID of a Verse Fusion?"
Kai's eyes were already shining. But one thing still troubled him. "What is the probability of gaining the Multiverse ID of this world?" he asked, his heart heavy.
Shadow Origin sighed. "Almost non-existent," he said solemnly. "Yes, it's likely that you would get it as a reward after the mission's completion. But that too depends on your actions in the Verse Fusion Random World. Let me ask, did you achieve any milestones after your fight with Flame Hashira?"
The moment Kai heard it, his pupils dilated. Only now did he see the problem. There was no point in hiding it, so he shook his head in answer, already feeling the hideous consequences behind it.
"You must have realized it, then," Shadow Origin told him. "In ordinary Random Worlds, no matter how personalized and unique, just sharing blows with a Hashira and an Upper-Rank Demon would have got you a Milestone and a Title. You have spent so much time around the Insect Hashira, that too would have allowed you to have a Milestone. Where are they? Verse Fusion is a monstrous thing, to begin with. Don't count on its Mission Difficulty, kid. They are just for show because the Systems can't leave them blank. It is too hard to gain rewards in the VF Random World. Hard! Hard! Hard!"
Listening to the same word thrice from an 18th-floor Contestant was a severe blow to Kai's aspiration.
"But…" Shadow Origin stretched the word, luring Kai in like a fish. "There is one method that would almost guarantee you getting the Multiverse ID," he drawled. "The chances aren't high, but they aren't insignificant, either."
'Here it comes,' Kai thought, gritting his teeth. How could he not see through such obvious manipulation? "What do you want?" he asked, his face emotionless. "You've already cut off my connection with other Sponsors."
Shadow Origin chuckled. "Good," he said, not denying his intentions. "I want to know how you assassinated Viscount Lucas?"
Kai's heart thumped, but his face showed no expression.
It hadn't surprised him that the other side had found out about him assassinating the Viscount. 18th-floor wasn't just a number, it was an embodiment of power and authority. But Selene was Kai's strongest trump card. Why hadn't he let her out in the open? Because trump cards by nature were meant to be hidden, only waiting to explode at the right moment when needed.
Kai's mind raced, weighing benefits with losses. Suddenly, he sneered inwardly, realizing the crux of the situation. What did Selene have to do with her former self? Hadn't she already mutated, becoming a new species? Here lay his advantage, Kai knew. If knowing the method to get Multiverse Id wasn't crucial to him, he would have never even considered it.
"It's a magical creature," he said, his face becoming ugly in feigned anger. "Ghost Serpent."
Shadow Origin grunted in surprise. "Ghost Serpent… Ghost Serpent…" he repeated in amazement. "No wonder. Intangibility and Soul Chill is quite a filthy combination. You must have some incredible Luck to stumble upon such a rare magical creature."
The corner of Kai's lips twitched. "Tell me the method, now," he urged, grinding his teeth to show his pained expression. "And it better be something implementable."
"It is," Shadow Origin said. "Learn a Breathing Style. Fuse your sword and movement Abilities, creating a new Breathing Art."
'Motherfucker!' Kai cursed the moment he heard it. But he couldn't show it on his face. How would he explain the fact that he knew the Breathing Style couldn't be learned even after practicing it for years?
Yet, the Sponsor's next words lifted Kai's spirits to the ninth heaven.
"Generally, a Contestant would need years of laborious training to learn a Breathing Style and then create one suited to themselves to turn it into an Ability," Shadow Origin said, hitting the hammer on the nail. "But this is Verse Fusion Random World. Here, ordinary logic doesn't work. What needs years to be gained in ordinary circumstances, you can do the same in months or days, depending on your abilities and the risks. The rewards are not guaranteed, but always remember this — the Systems counts effort as much as accomplishments. You already have the means to walk on this path from this very moment. Use it."
Kai knew what Shadow Origin meant. The only thing was that he hadn't considered it before after learning the details from Sponsor Aphrodite.
"We still have some 20 minutes left to us," Shadow Origin mumbled. "I will look forward to a performance worthy of being a Contestant who brought out a Verse Fusion Random World. Do not disappoint us, kid. The kings are watching you. Hahaha!"
With that, Shadow Origin cut off the channel.
Kai fell into silence. He sat down on the rocky ground, falling into deep contemplation. Must he do it? He thought. Must he bow his head to a mere Character?
Yoo-hoo…
Must he? The words kept repeating themselves in Kai's mind.
Yoo-hoo…
Kai sneered inwardly. Mysteriously, the voice that had seemed like gusts of chilly wind gained substance by his side.
"Yoo-hoo!"
Kai flinched, his hands landing on the hilts of his swords. How? The word exploded in his mind, along with the sheer disbelief. How could anyone approach him without him knowing about it? Why didn't his instincts warn him? Was he that lost in contemplation? No. The problem didn't lie in him, but the other party.
Kai, like a puppet, turned his head left and saw Shinobu just inches away from his face, smiling at him.
The Insect Hashira giggled. "So even you can show such an expression," she jested.
Kai sighed in relief but gained a deeper apprehension of this lady in his heart. "Why are you out of bed and walking like this?" he asked gently, smiling. "It will worsen your injuries."
By now, Kai had already figured out that the needle she had stabbed in his neck that night was the antidote. The Resonance of Sacrifice had surprised him. Kai had never thought Shinobu's refusal to take the HP capsule, and instead saving it for him, despite her overexerting herself to go against the Flame Hashira, would trigger the third resonance. The more Kai experienced it, the less he understood the Skill, Heart Rhythm.
It was all too mysterious, even for him. Not to mention, no matter how Kai looked at the current circumstances, it didn't look like Shinobu's mind had been tampered with by the Systems. The only thing Kai had done was to speak the truth, using a false identity.
She was beautiful, no doubt.
Shinobu saw Kai looking at her, his hazel eyes fluctuating under the morning sun, and she blushed. She sat down near him, wrapping her hands around her knees.
"You can feel them, too," Kai said, recalling the sensation he had just after waking up.
Shinobu nodded. "Demons," she whispered, looking out into the darkened rainforest. "They are everywhere."
"It's my fault," Kai chuckled and lied. "I caused too much commotion, exposing our location. They can also sense the connection I have with Nezuko. It draws them to us unknowingly. Sigh!"
Silence took over then, as they gazed at the gurgling river and the scorched ground between it and them. After a few moments, Kai stood up and faced the seated Hashira. She looked up at him, expressionless.
"As I am now," Kai said, a dense will to achieve greatness churning around him, "I can't protect you and Nezuko. It's because of me you two are in this situation. A man should take responsibility for his actions. But I am not conceited enough to not see how weak I am against demons of Hashira-level or beyond."
Kai looked up at the vast sky, closed his eyes to calm the doubt in his heart, and then looked at her again. Then, slowly, Kai kneeled in front of her, both his knees striking the rocks with a dull thump. Kai's head followed, his forehead striking just inches away from her bare feet.
"You…"
"Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho!" Kai shouted, kowtowing, shouting, and shedding false but equally realistic tears. "Teach me the Total Concentration Breathing Style," he begged. "Give me strength… Give me strength… to protect you."
Shinobu's eyes reflected Kai's snowy white hair. She leaned forward and rested her head over Kai's, preventing him from banging his head.
Her answer entered Kai's ears with a giggle.
"Umu!" she nodded. "I will take you as a Tsuguko. It's just… I don't even know your name."
Kai felt the weight of her head and smiled. "Just call me Arlen."
It was good that none could see the smile on his face becoming a demonic grin.
************
Tsuguko: Disciple/Successor
Read Ahead
You can access extra chapters as Patrons
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone