章 18: Chapter 18

Chirp! Chirp!

The melodious cry of birds flying above snapped Ginryu out of his thoughts.

He looked around, realizing that he needed to find shelter if he planned on staying in the mountains to train his abilities.

He was currently naked too, so cloths and tools were also needed.

The cave he had just exited didn't seem suitable due to the rotting ball of flesh that still remained inside. It definitely wouldn't provide the comfort he desired.

"Lucia, do you have any mapping function or something?" Ginryu asked, hoping that his AI companion could help him locate a suitable shelter.

"[Yes, but the system can only map where the host has been]," Lucia replied, her voice resonating in his mind.

"Ugh, well, I might be screwed then," Ginryu muttered in defeat.

The only places he had ever been since his birth was his village from over 500 years ago and his current location. He hadn't ventured much beyond that.

"Bring up the map and mark my current location," Ginryu requested, determined to find a solution.

If his village was still unoccupied, he could use it as his base for a while since he knew the route to the city from there.

Of course, this was assuming that the cities or towns of his era still existed.

Lucia swiftly brought up a map, and Ginryu studied it intently as he began walking towards the village.

As he walked, he couldn't help but entertain a sudden thought.

'What if Muzan had left demons lurking around the village, hoping to catch him if he ever returned?'

"I should get used to my abilities first. Lucia, how do I use my transformation abilities?" Ginryu inquired, eager to tap into the power that lay within him.

"[The host can use transformation abilities by envisioning the desired beast form with clarity. I have a catalog of every recorded beast within your genetic makeup]," Lucia explained, her voice carrying a sense of assurance.

"I'm assuming that the higher-level beast forms are locked or something," Ginryu surmised, knowing that accessing his full potential might not be possible just yet.

"[Yes, they are locked for now]," Lucia confirmed, her response hinting at the need for further growth and development.

"Figures. So I have to memorize the beast forms to be able to transform into them. But what about the abilities associated with each form?" Ginryu probed further, seeking a deeper understanding of his capabilities.

"[The beast's abilities are known instinctively upon transformation, but I have recordings available in case the host is a bit slow]," Lucia assured him.

Ginryu found himself wondering what Lucia meant by slow. Did she subtly surmise that he might be slow in grasping these abilities.

"Did she just indirectly assume that I might be stupid?" he pondered upon hearing Lucia's response. Brushing off the thought, he redirected his focus.

"Alright, alright. So what kind of abilities are available to me at my current transformation stage?" Ginryu asked, already having a vague idea of what to expect from a stage 2 transformation.

"[At stage one, you will only have access to ordinary beast forms and their physical capabilities. Each base stat receives a boost ranging from I to V, based on the beast's physical capabilities]," Lucia explained, shedding light on the attributes he could tap into.

"Ugh, that sounds confusing. Can you provide an example, like what my stats would be with a transformation?" Ginryu requested, desiring a clearer picture of his potential power.

"[Assuming the host takes the form of a bear, there will be a significant boost in strength and constitution, while the other stats will receive a minor boost]," Lucia replied promptly, her words illuminating the potential enhancements.

"I see. And I assume that the degree of boosts varies depending on the type of beast?" Ginryu surmised, understanding that each transformation had its unique advantages.

"[Indeed, the boosts will always remain the same for each beast form and will be added to the main stats during transformation]," Lucia clarified, leaving no room for ambiguity.

"That's awesome! Now, how does one go about increasing these base stats?" Ginryu questioned, eager.

"[In order to increase the base stats, the host will have to simply switch to a stronger base form. Engage in intense training of current base form. And Lastly, Consuming something that enhances the current base form]," Lucia responded, revealing the path to further improvement.

Upon listening to Lucia, Ginryu decided to get a quick feel for his newfound abilities. Although he wasn't worried about encountering demons during the day, he was excited to try out his powers.

He vividly remembered the sensation of transforming for the first time. Drawing on that memory, he focused on the image of a brown bear and began his transformation.

Crack! Snap!

His bones and flesh rapidly twisted and turned until his form completely resembled that of a humanoid brown bear.

Huff! Huff!

Ginryu huffed, not because he was tired or in pain, but because of the exhilarating surge of power he felt. His muscles bulged and with every step, it felt as if the earth trembled beneath his weight.

"So this is how it feels to be a brown bear," Ginryu marveled, comparing it to his previous transformation, a stage two Lunar wolf.

During the battle with Muzan, he didn't feel like himself in wolf form. It was as if the beast's instincts took over, feeding on his anger while he merely observed. But now, in his brown bear form, he felt in control.

Curious about his earlier loss of control, Ginryu turned to Lucia and asked for an explanation. "Lucia, why did I lose control during my first transformation?"

Lucia's response shed light on the issue. "[The host's Spirit stat was too low to control the beast's instincts. The host's bloodline copies an enhanced form and instincts of a beast, not its reason. The host has to provide the reasoning and balance it with instinct. All of this is governed by the Spirit stat.]"

Taking note of the importance of his Spirit stat, Ginryu muttered, "Noted, the Spirit stat is extremely important." He now understood why the advanced forms of his abilities were locked. Without learning control, he was essentially a ticking time bomb.

"Sigh, my abilities are complicated, and I have to spend a long time training them," Ginryu complained to no one in particular, feeling the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders.

Then, a thought crossed his mind. 'Oh yeah, I somehow copied Muzan's blood art. How do I use it?' he wondered, recalling seeing it on his status screen.

Trusting his instincts and his basic knowledge of biology, Ginryu attempted to create a tendril of flesh with the head resembling that of a bear.

To his surprise, he managed to produce a deformed bear's head at the tip of the tendril sprouting from his back, although it felt uncomfortable and unnatural.

Realizing that he needed more training to master this new ability, Ginryu returned to his normal form, undoing his transformation.

Satisfied for the moment, he glanced up at the map and continued his journey towards his former village. With newfound confidence in utilizing some of his abilities, he made progress.

Time passed slowly, and eventually, Ginryu arrived near the village. From a distance, he observed the once small fishing village, which had been nearly wiped out by demons, transformed into a small port town.

"Well, 500 years have passed, so this makes sense," Ginryu muttered to himself, acknowledging the passage of time.

Glancing down at his dangling penis, Ginryu looked at the setting sun and decided to wait till late at night, when the town slept.

He planned to steal some clothes and tools before returning back to the mountain.