"Why don't you completely merge with this and complete your breakthrough?"
Wondering why even after 2 days I'm stuck at the state where I haven't completely merged with my Spiritual Twin, Jayna curiously asked.
The World's Will said after 3 days so I still need to wait for tomorrow to become a Fused Spirit. And well, I think I already understand why he said 3 days. My Adaptability was already on the verge of leveling up, with it sitting at 95%, this day's spamming of Spirit Energy will result in it completely filling up. With a total of 20 enlargements of the invisible container within me, my Adaptability caused by the Psyche Energy will finally level up. As to what changes it will bring me, I'll have to see later.
"Tomorrow. I feel like I haven't been at this stage for long so…"
I made up an excuse as to why I didn't complete my breakthrough to Fused Spirit.
Jayna somehow accepted it as a valid reason. It's not even a week and I'm already about to become a Fused Spirit. Even if I started late, this feat will always be something with no precedent.
I couldn't just tell her that I was being restricted by the World's Will and I've already been to the Spirit Ocean. That will be more shocking than someone who became a Fused Spirit within a week.
We're currently in an energy-powered carriage and since I have an unlimited supply of Spirit Energy, I volunteered to drive it. The two happily accepted it as they could relax during the journey. Even if it was said that the fortress was a former Spiritas territory, it was already long abandoned and the territory already shrank far away from it so we'll be travelling along the territory ruled by the Spirit Beasts.
But before all that, the other two companions of Yumiko were already waiting for us at the Frontier Fortress of the Spiritas. That's where most battles happened, with soldiers dedicated to repelling any attack either from the Spirit Beasts or the Invading Forces.
I asked them about the identity of the Invading Forces, they collectively call them as Dark Elves. Right, dark elves from most fantasy stories. They have long ears and dark skins. As for their power ranking, it's hard to gauge as most of them were elusive, it's already a surprise that they made a fortress. They mostly engage in ambushes.
But since it's hard for them to influence a native of this world, among the three broiled up in the three-way war, they're the weakest with only a territory at the westernmost part of the land.
It was said that they have outposts in every corner before but all of those were destroyed by either the Spirit Beasts or the Spiritas so they holed themselves up in the westernmost part, waiting for the descent of those stronger that could break the balance of the current situation.
When the night came, we set up camp on some sort of abandoned settlement, choosing the one with a high vantage point and definite escape path. Even if we're still at the Spiritas territory, there's still the risk of being attacked especially if it's the Dark Elves who could conceal themselves during the night.
Since I planned to upgrade my ability at this moment, I asked Yumiko and Jayna to take up the duty to watch over us for the night. Jayna who became curious about me since that day of the competition chose to stand guard next to me while Yumiko watched outside, with one of the enhanced items by the gambling houses, it's a detection glasses that could see in the dark. Literally a night vision glasses. It only has an added feature of detecting the flow of Spirit Energy in its sight, a warning will be indicated if it picks up a disturbance.
That pair of glasses was just one of the common enhanced items since it was specially made as a precaution against the Dark Elves.
"So instead of calling on higher Spirits like Yumiko, your unique ability is to control the surrounding Spirit Energy?"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJayna asked curiously once again when she saw me started spamming Spirit Boost on myself and on her.
"Something like that. However it's not as mighty as you think, my actual strength actually came mostly from Yumiko and others like her."
I answered her when I decided to rest for a while.
"Ah. Right, you've been to other worlds. What's it like there? I also wanted to travel to different worlds like you two."
Ah. This girl's curiosity. Should I really answer everything she will be curious at?
Seeing that glittering bright eyes, I gave in to pressure. Question after question, she will always have something she will be curious at. Only when I put a hand in front of me to stop her did she realize that she overdid her questions.
Feeling sorry and embarrassed, she left my side and went to Yumiko.
Because of that I finally have the time to continue grinding for experience points. It's only a bit now and thanks to Jayna, my anxiousness was gone.
6 hours later. The long-awaited system message finally arrived.
[Ding! Adaptability has leveled up]
[Gained 2 Intelligence]
[Unlocked Flux Energy State]
[Detected Three Level 1 Energy]
[The three Level 1 Energy can be assimilated and combined to become Flux Energy.]
[All your skills that make use any of the assimilated and combined energy to activate will be run by Flux Energy
Note: By assimilating and combining the energies, the Path opened up by different types of Energy will also be assimilated and combined. From then on, every Path you have walked into will be synchronized.
Detected Paths: System, Physique Cultivation, Spirit Cultivation]
[You can activate Flux Energy State anytime]
[Upon activating your base stats will be reduced to 80%]
[And it cannot be deactivated again]
So these are really called Level 1 Energy or is this the system naming it like that because of me?
Wait! If I didn't have the system, these system messages won't show up but I will still understand what's new about my Adaptability. Just like how all sorts of information that was too dense for the System alone to process were now filling up my head.
I was right about my guess that upon leveling it up, I will have the ability to manage these different types of energy easily.
Flux Energy State.
This means I can combine the World Energy, Brute Energy and Spirit Energy into one.
They will then be collectively called as Flux Energy.
Psyche Energy isn't included, it's really a higher type of energy and even this Flux Energy which will be the new form of combined Level 1 Energies isn't on par with it.
If I absorb any of the three types of energy, it will be instantly converted to Flux Energy.
All my skills that use those three types of energy will now be activated using Flux Energy.
But there's that catch. The three Paths as what the system called it which pertains to the System, Physique Cultivation and Spirit Cultivation will not be combined but synchronized.
Synchronization means they will all be put at the same level. Which means, my System and Spirit Cultivation will rise up to be equal to my highest path, Physique Cultivation.
My System will level up to Level 3 Support Professional System.
My Spirit Cultivation will rise up to Fused Spirit with 3 Streams of Connection.
Is this a shortcut? Probably, yes. I will immediately receive the stats that will be gained from leveling them up. Plus, using Augmented Skills or the Skill and Spell from the World of System will now also be unlimited through the use of Spirit Energy turned Flux Energy.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmOne thing though, Using the excuse of filling up my World Energy to kiss Yuko again will not be viable anymore. I'll just ask for a proper kiss then.
Wait. I'm getting sidetracked. Ugh.
Continuing on, since the paths will be synchronized, if I added another Stream of connection while I'm here, both my System and Physique Cultivation will also rise up a level.
However, separate stats gained from each path will only last until this stage. If I become a Transformed Spirit, though my System will be upgraded and my Physique Cultivation will rise to Saint Realm, I will only receive a balanced stat bonus. As to how much, it will be half of what I will normally get if I level them up individually.
If I encounter another type of Energy and another Path, as long as it's a level 1 Energy, I can assimilate it and it will be instantly raised to the same level. However, I couldn't gain the stats that I should get if I cultivate it from the start.
If I choose not to assimilate it and go through the hard work of starting from the bottom. I will get the stats however once I choose to assimilate it to the Flux Energy, the stats gained will be lost. So assimilating it upon detection will be proven to be the better choice.
So in conclusion, after the 2nd Stages; Fused Spirit, Augmented Realm and Support Professional System; these different paths will run in the same line.
Apart from the stats gained, the other bonuses such as new Augmented Skills from Physique Cultivation, Passives from the System and the borrowed supernatural power from Spirit Cultivation will still be gained normally.
If I reach 4 Streams of connection, I can then use the Spirit Energy here to create my 4th Augmented Skill without any problem.
Lastly, upon leveling up my Adaptability, the invisible container inside my body was also expanded. It can now fill 100 charges of Psyche Boost.
Err, Physique Boost will then be an unlimited buff like the Spirit Boost if I activated the Flux Energy State.
So… what am I waiting for? I weighed the pros and the cons, even if my base stats will be reduced to 80%, the gains I will get are overwhelming.
It's already past midnight so 3 days after that meeting with World's Will. Breaking through to the next stage is now allowed. Did he know it would come to this? I don't know and there's no way to know. Anyway, let's start this.
"Activate Flux Energy State!"
Upon uttering those words, the surrounding Spirit Energy around me was stirred as it filled my body with the necessary amount of energy to forcefully synchronize my three paths. It's quite alarming that I saw Yumiko and Jayna appearing from outside to see what's the cause of the commotion. But I have no time to explain to them as a series of system messages filled my mind.
[Activated Flux Energy State]
[World Energy, Brute Energy and Spirit Energy were assimilated and combined to become Flux Energy]
[Advanced to Fused Spirit]
[Current Connection: 3 Streams]
[Support Professional System has leveled up to 3]
[…]