Blue Spider Lily - Executing Project Ad Infinitum (1)
Kai had been expecting an Ability related to Potioneering to show up, eventually.
With only 3 hours of Identity Period every 3 or 4 days, and with so much to do and plan and learn, Kai had not exactly gotten much hands-on experience in Potioneering. However, Darcie had practiced the art of potioneering extensively.
The accumulated experience was bound to fruit results.
So, burying the smile on his face, he brought his attention to the red-gold liquid. Only then did he notice the gazes of all, waiting for his confirmation? Red Sun's eyes almost threatened to pop out.
"No." Kai shook his head. "I don't think it's Philosopher's Stone," he told them, holding his chin. "For one, it is not a stone. For another, the process itself was just too easy, even if we ignore the rarity of the materials involved. If Ekrizdis had known Philosopher's Stone's recipe, it wouldn't have been so easy to seal him, no?"
Item-M nodded. "Reasonable."
Rintaro blushed and then coughed. "I, of course, knew it."
Moraine stepped forward and bent, her breasts almost rubbing against the hot brim of the cauldron. "It does appear similar to a Philosopher's Stone, though," she remarked. "Maybe…"
Kai nodded. "Ekrizdis must have been trying to create Philosopher's Stone, perhaps," he guessed. "Somehow he learned a few ingredients involved in the process and began researching them. He didn't get the desired product, but he did stumble upon… this. The Dark Scroll."
Kai had no way of being sure of this. Not unless he asked it from the Inferi Horcrux himself.
"It doesn't matter," he said, collecting the potion-based Artifact in a vial. "I can't wait any longer. It's time to finish the Project Ad Infinitum."
"We are going now…" Cersei asked but didn't finish the question.
Kai ignored the frown on Cersei's face and looked at Item-S. "Defend the place," he ordered.
The Contestant with Spawn's Blessing nodded back at him.
*
*
An enormous blue vortex materialized at the top of a mountain.
Kai, Item-M, Red Sun, Moraine, and Cersei jumped into the Switched World and the vortex behind them disappeared.
"Verse Fusion…" Item-M and Red Sun both mumbled together. The daughter of Iron Man, Moraine, turned back and looked at the enormous full moon rising above the horizon.
3 years, 8 months, 9 days… Kai thought, recalling the last time when he was here. But only 138 days have gone by in the Demon Slayer World.
At 22, Kai had almost hit the limit of his height, standing tall at 6 ft and 2 inches. His white hair was freshly cut to shoulder length and his hazel eyes seemed to fluctuate in and out of reality, reflecting the reddish-silvery moonlight.
He was wearing a white doublet over white pants, with white shoes devoid of any dirt. If it wasn't because he couldn't bring the Lethifold and Nundu here, he would have been wearing a black robe as well.
"Let's do it," he said. "Fan out and create a parameter. No matter who comes… Kill."
"Yes, your majesty." All four bowed and disappeared, deeply aware of the seriousness of the situation and the coming ordeal.
With a wave of his hand, Kai cleared the moonlit ground and sat down on the ground. With another wave of the hand, a flower appeared in his hands, glowing more beautiful than all flowers he had ever laid his eyes upon.
The Blue Spider Lily!
...
[
Reward - Blue Spider Lily
1. Upon consumption, the Contestant will gain a stand-alone Title — Demon King
2. Title Effects are:
a. HP Regeneration Rate: +100%
b. Skill: Demon Progenitor (growth type)
c. Skill: Biokinesis Skill: Demon Manipulation
d. Charisma: +25 (for all beings that come under the qualification of "negative side" in the Multiverse)
e. Charisma: -25 (for all beings that come under the qualification of "positive side" in the Multiverse)
3. The Item will also grant a onetime Life Halt of 100 years
4. Elementary Ability - Consciousness Manipulation
5. Genetic Disintegration in the presence of Sunlight (Time Limit: 3 seconds)
6. All light-based Skills and Items are 100% more effective against the Contestant
Note: Blue Spider Lily is equivalent to a Low-level Heroic-grade consumable Item
]
...
Kai had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
When he had first seen its Stats, he didn't know he would learn an absurd Occlumency like Ad Infinitum ever. Still, there was a reason he had chosen it instead of Hanafuda Earrings.
A reason related to the nature of Verse Fusion World in its entirety.
That reason was not the Title or Skills or even Life Halt.
It was the Ability - Consciousness Manipulation.
Kai had already begun making grand plans related to it when he chose the Blue Spider Lily after clearing the 2nd Stage of the Tournament of Worth.
The way of Occlumency, as taught by Samurai Jack and perfected by him, had not changed those plans, but only accelerated them, shortening the duration by decades.
Now was the time to put those plans to test.
With a demonic gleam in his eyes, Kai put the Blue Spider Lily in his mouth, chewed, and gulped it down.
The change was...
... instantaneous.
A beastly snarl escaped Kai's throat as his entire body convulsed. Joints snapped and popped, bones broke down into a powder, and his muscles screamed, getting ripped apart.
Every orifice in his body began bleeding.
Kai screamed.
Fuck the parameter! Cersei left behind a black blur as she rushed toward Kai, her slim figure covered in a skin-tight shadowy suit. One flap of her enormous bat-like wings brought her within 3 feet of Kai. It was also the same time when Item-M appeared on the opposite side.
Moraine's breasts heaved up and down as she gawked at the sight from some 40 meters away, her ears buzzing because of Kai's screams.
Red Sun had already sat down, cursing at the fact that now he must take care of the parameter all by himself.
Then something happened that made the 10th-floor Contestant jump back to his feet, stunned.
Before Cersei and Item-M could hold Kai... his entire body broke apart. Skin, organs, flesh, and bones melted, becoming a puddle of bloody goo.
...
"No!" Cersei screamed, dense shadowy vapors bursting out of her body like lava from a volcano.
Item-M had frozen at her place, her face pale, becoming paler and whiter by fractions of a second.
The bloody puddle stilled, all motions arrested, all hopes lost.
...
Then it happened.
...
Boom!
A majestic wave of formless power hit Item-M and Cersei and sent them flying.
The bloody goo, running into the crevices of the rocky mountain, pulsed. All the liquid that had run down returned. Tendrils rose from it, black and hideous.
With another surge of power, the bloody goo lifted in the air as if thrown into a vacuum. It condensed and began taking a crude humanoid shape.
Now 2 inches longer in height, and naked, Kai materialized as if jumped out of another dimension. His flesh wriggled under his skin, like millions of worms crawling up and down. His bones felt otherworldly, strong, and yet flexible.
Then there was the feeling; the stupendous, unbelievable feeling.
A feeling that told him he could control his flesh and bones, just like he could control his hands, with only one thought.
Yes.
Now he was the Ultimate Faceless.
Yes.
Now he was the Ultimate Demon.
And, yes.
Now his reign began; here, in the Verse Fusion Random World.
***********
AN: Break Tomorrow
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