NOVEL NEXT Chapter 119 [Monster Whispering Manual]
Holding Bloody Reaper in one hand and the chimera essence in the other, Lynn’s heart pounded with anticipation, hoping his speculation would prove correct.
He carefully placed the black pistol on the table and popped open the vial. A part of him hesitated, reluctant to take such risky action without fully understanding the consequences.
Yet the enticing potential outweighed his caution. The temptation to enhance this extraordinary weapon already bonded to him was too alluring to ignore.
"I should at least attempt it," he reasoned, steeling his resolve. "But I must exercise prudence."
With extreme care, he tilted the container ever so slightly, allowing a single viscous drop to fall onto the dark metal surface. A tense moment passed where nothing seemed to happen.
Just as doubt began creeping into his mind, a subtle change occurred. A faint sizzle started echoing through the air as the drop of essence seemed to be slowly absorbed.
"It's not enough," he instantly realized. Compared to when he had used his own blood to complete the first evolution, the amount used now was minuscule. It needed more, much more.
Taking a deep breath, he determined to continue. He poured a steady stream of the liquid onto the weapon, watching as it slowly seeped into its intricate engravings and crevices.
This time, the reaction was instantaneous.
Bloody Reaper immediately started trembling atop the table, rattling against the wooden surface. Strange energy pulsations rippled around it, humming ominously as if resonating with his very soul.
Fixing this bizarre spectacle with the lens on the pendant hanging around his neck, Lynn could see a surge of power emanating from the weapon, as if it had awakened from a long slumber.
Beyond the physical distortions, he could perceive the explosive clash of energies that fueled this metamorphosis. It was a tumultuous convergence of forces, unlike anything he had witnessed before.
The potent and volatile aura radiating from the chimera essence seemed to roar and thrash as it made contact with the Bloody Reaper's own swirling energy field. It was akin to observing two ravenous beasts locked in mortal combat.
However, before his eyes, the auras did not annihilate each other through this explosive contact. Instead, the essences churned and blended, both undergoing profound alterations in the process.
The chimera essence's aura, previously tainted by sinister undertones, took on a brighter, fuller hue as the swirling darkness was burned away, leaving only purified power behind.
In turn, the Bloody Reaper's crimson aura expanded and grew deeper in intensity. The introduction of new energy stirred its potential like fuel added to a growing flame.
Lynn's eyes widened as realization struck. "I see now, this is the difference between auras and spiritual energy."
While spiritual energy represented the raw vitality flowing through all things, auras provided deeper insight by reflecting the nature and characteristics of that energy.
By perceiving auras through the magnifying lens, he witnessed this transformative fusion on a fundamental level. The black pistol absorbed the purified energy of the extraordinary essence, using it to ignite its growth.
Gradually, the violent convulsions stabilized, signifying the integration was complete. The firearm's aura glowed brilliantly for a moment before shrinking and consolidating, settling back within.
Running his fingers delicately along the gun's grip, he noticed a small amount of excess fluid that was not absorbed. Lynn wiped and cleaned it using a piece of tissue, which he disposed of appropriately.
As he performed this simple task, his mind was filled with vivid visions and information revealing the weapon's updated abilities. His soul bond with the firearm enabled him to innately comprehend its new potential.
[Bloody Reaper (Soul Bond)]
[Grade: Uncommon (Evolutive)]
[Evaluation: A weapon forged in the fires of war and soaked in the blood of its victims. Through a fortuitous twist of fate, it gained extraordinary capabilities that surpassed its intended mechanical design.
Effect 1: Crimson Bullet - Fire explosive armor-piercing bullets that deal escalating damage depending on the energy consumed.
Effect 2: Blood Drain - Successful hits steal a portion of vitality from opponents, which can be stocked and later be used for various purposes.]
A satisfied smile slowly spread across his face as he processed the details. This would push his prowess to formidable new heights, but he knew better than to let complacency seep in.
That could swiftly lead to disaster. No amount of power could guarantee victory if not accompanied by cunning, strategy, and unwavering will. He needed to stay sharp and continue improving every facet of himself.
With this sobering thought, he refocused on the last items to check - the skill crystals and the [Monster Whispering Manual].
As for Knott’s journal, it was already back in his inventory. He needed to find a way to cleanse it from the spiritual pollution that stained its pages before attempting anything.
Lynn picked up the four skill crystals, each roughly the size of a tennis ball. He held them in his hand, rotating them between his fingers, mesmerized by their pulsating inner glow.
These contained the condensed knowledge of skills that could be imprinted directly into his mind, granting him the ability to utilize them without the need for extensive training or practice.
However, he had no intention of using them. Glancing at his status panel, his attributes had reached their maximum limit. Learning new skills would be a waste of the enhancements he would gain.
From past experience, using a skill crystal would increase his attributes by +1 in a relevant area. Yet, he observed that all his attributes were already capped out at 20 points, the highest achievable without undergoing a sublimation.
So, unless there was an extraordinary skill among the options that could provide an ability beyond his current scope, the wise choice was to reserve them for the time being.
"Let's see what these contain," he thought to himself, turning his attention to the notifications that appeared before him, displaying the names of the abilities contained within.
[Skill Memory Crystal – First Aid]
[Learn this skill?]
[Skill Memory Crystal – Marksmanship]
[Learn this skill?]
[Skill Memory Crystal – Nature Affinity]
[Learn this skill?]
[Skill Memory Crystal – Hypnosis]
[Learn this skill?]
Reading the information presented, his brow gradually furrowed in contemplation. The first two skills, [First Aid] and [Marksmanship], while undoubtedly useful, seemed somewhat redundant and unnecessary for him.
After all, Lynn was a [doctor], he already possessed extensive medical knowledge far surpassing basic first aid techniques. Learning such a skill would provide little benefit or impact to someone of his capabilities.
Similarly, the offer of Marksmanship also failed to entice him. When he formed a soul bound with Bloody Reaper, he had acquired some memories and experiences of previous wielders imprinted within the weapon.
Coupled with his high dexterity and perception attributes, this granted him an innate proficiency in wielding firearms with unparalleled accuracy and precision that rendered the skill offering redundant.
However, the latter two crystals that were extracted directly from the chimera immediately captured his intrigue - [Nature Affinity] and [Hypnosis]. These seemed far more appealing to learn now.
[Nature Affinity: Develop an innate connection and sensitivity to the natural world, enhancing interactions with plants and animals.]
[Hypnosis: Ability to induce a hypnotic state, allowing to alter the subconscious mind and influence the thoughts and actions.]
"These two skills... they seem like weakened versions of some of Knott's abilities," Lynn mused, his mind racing with possibilities and potential applications.
He quickly recognized the immense value that they offered, particularly [Hypnosis], as it held the potential to become an influential asset in a wide range of scenarios. This was especially true for his forthcoming trip to the abandoned district.
However, he hesitated before making a hasty decision. A part of him still felt reluctant to miss out on the opportunity of a guaranteed attribute increase that learning a new skill would provide.
After a prolonged moment of silent deliberation, he finally shook his head and let out a small sigh. " There's no need to rush, there is still plenty of time to decide.”
Having made up his mind, he shifted his focus to the last remaining item before him. It was an ancient tome, bearing the weight of age upon its weathered pages, which were safeguarded by a worn but resilient leather cover.
Etched on it were mesmerizing illustrations of fantastical beasts, their intricate details seemed to shimmer and shift hypnotically when viewed from different angles.
In the center, the words [Monster Whispering Manual] were embossed in faded gold lettering, hinting at the secrets and knowledge it held within its pages.
This was the book received as a reward for completing the hidden mission [The Chimera's Feast]. Its mysterious presence called out to Lynn, compelling him to reach for it.
"[Evaluation!]" he promptly incanted in his mind.