115 [115] Potion Making and New Powers
Chapter 115: Potion Making and New Powers
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"Can we stop hugging now?"
"No."
"Alright."
Ai didn't want me to let her go, despite tens of minutes passing. But I stopped hugging her from behind and dragged her to the bed, pulling her with me to fall to our side, as I laid beside her like a big spoon. She hesitated a little before easing into my arms.
Right after I made her accept calling me the weird nickname, I kissed her and said it was the last kiss she'd get from me. That included any type of other affection too. I realized now how much she had missed my touch. I was no different.
"Look at you acting so nice all of a sudden," she said in a grumpy voice, biting my forearm that was near her. It was a love bite. Looks like she's gained a bratty side to her anyway, despite switching our positions back. "You're so fake. Such a big, fat liar."
"I am not fat."
"You weigh 95kg."
"All muscles, dear mother."
"Surely," she laughed and rubbed her cheek against the spot she had just bitten.
Her soft laugh died out and she fell silent. A bit later, she said, "Why do you keep giving me these powers?" she asked. "When you gave me the Wardrobe Potion, and I asked if you knew someone with this power, your reaction was odd. You walked out of the room. From that type of reaction, I'm sure it belonged to someone dear to you." Ai went silent. "Since this Supergirl power pack is only possible because of Wardrobe too, I'm wondering once again. Who did this power belong to?"
She didn't say it, but the main reason she had cared so much earlier about my wound was exactly because she thought I was handing the power of someone close to me down to her. I was caring extremely for her, so her natural reaction was to care back.
She's truly a good woman.
As for her question, I remained unsure and silent. It's not as if I haven't told anyone in my other lives about someone from my previous life in detail, but I haven't done that in recent times. For example, I never opened up to anyone about it in my 9th Life, not even the Tang Eldest Daughter. My 8th life was even worse. But… during my 7th life, I've indeed shared my other lives with someone. With my Empress. The same lady whose power I've passed down to Ai.
So do I tell her? A little, at least?
She already knew about my other lives, but now she had called me back into her arms as her son. What if her idea changes again after learning just how long I have lived, and what I've lived through?
"Sorry… it was insensitive of me to ask. You don't have to answer it."
"…It's alright," I laughed. "It belonged to my wife, my love of life, my only equal, the Empress of Mankind, Great Sage of Humanity. That's her power that flows through your veins now."
"….."
She slowly turned her head back to look at me. Her pink eyes were dazzling like stars and filled with curiosity. "Your wife…?" she blushed slightly. "Is that why you see me like…"
"What, no, no," I shook my head. "I mean I see why you'd think that since I guess it's kind of symbolic, but no." I calmed my breath and smiled. "It'd be an insult to her if I were to see anyone with the Wardrobe power as a replacement for her. Ah, no offense of course."
Not once have I seen Ai in the same light as my Empress.
How could a little girl match the greatness of the Greatest Woman to have ever lived?
Ai was closer to Emmanuelle than she ever could be to my Empress, and since I've already talked about how she compared with Emmanuelle, one could guess how she'd fare in comparison to my Empress. No offense to Ai, of course, she was still young and these few years she had reached a very good ladder in my heart, it's a great achievement.
Ai frowned but didn't say anything, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you grumpy again?" I teased her by breathing down her neck. "I didn't know you'd feel jealousy towards my wife. Are you implying something, dearest mother?"
"S-SHUT UP!" she jumped up with a red face and ran to the door. She fled from my embrace and opened the security that was the door, allowing the others waiting outside to pour in and disrupt our sweet time.
She's so cute.
* * *
The others walked into our luxurious suite nestled among the sea's beauty that was visible through the window. But ours was a luxurious room that stood out not for its opulence, but for the gathering it hosted. The soft glow of elegant lamps, the rich textures of the decor, and the subtle scent of flowers receded into the background by the conversation of people.
"Phew, so you're fine," seeing that Ai was perfectly fine, they heaved a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, it'd have been such a pain if you kept shooting lasers all the time."
Uncle Ichigo and Aunty Miyako said one after the other.
"Yeah, sorry, that was dangerous…" Ai scratched her cheek and said in a tone of embarrassment. She could have killed both of them accidentally.
The two of them now knew about the supernatural world. No, they said they've known about it in a subtle way for a long time. Being managers and studio owners in the entertainment industry made them naturally learn about the devils. So they weren't too shocked when they found out that not only devils, but Gods were real too, and that their nephew, niece, daughter, and now even Ai had magical powers.
I made multiple defensive enchantments for them, as well as Talisman to keep them safe, but I doubted they'd be enough in a situation that'd be truly threatening. So I plan to give them two options, exactly in this vacation, to at least grant them enough power to protect themselves.
I know I said a lot of stuff about potions during the day, but the case is different for Uncle Ichigo and Aunty Miyako. They're too old to easily start cultivating, and they don't have magical talents either. This was the easiest path for them.
I'll brew the potions for them the next day. I think I'll go for a Red one for Uncle, and a Blue one for Aunty.
Red Elixirs would typically handle energy manipulation of some sort. Blue Elixirs focus on information manipulation, from precognition to info-hazards.
After doing their worried inquiry, the two adults left with Tsubasa for their room. In the room, Ai and I remained with Ruby, Asia, and Blue.
"Hi," Blue waved.
"Oh," I forgot about them when booking the rooms.
This isn't good. Five people in the same bed? And here I was hoping for some good family time, like when we were kids and Ai slept with us.
"I'm not sleeping on the same bed as her," Ruby pointed a finger at Ai and said. Ah yes, of course, a more annoying problem had to arise before I could find a solution.
Ai looked hurt but couldn't say anything. She had nothing to say. I scowled at Ruby instead, "Aren't you being too rude, Ruby? That was needlessly harsh."
"I don't care!"
"Neither do I," I approached her. Had she really forgotten how lucky she was to be born as the daughter of her favorite idol?
"H-hey, Aqua, it's alright," Ai ran to hold me by my arm before I could teach Ruby a lesson.
Ruby's teary eyes glared at the both of us, especially at me. She must feel a sense of great betrayal seeing the same person she was doing all this trying to discipline her.
"Come on, don't fight, I don't feel sleepy anymore since I slept all afternoon," Ai said gently. "You four sleep on the bed. I'll watch the stars."
"...."
I sighed and nodded. Ruby looked away but didn't reject the idea.
With a shake of my head, I pulled her to a reluctant her which she tried to pull away from but didn't succeed. "Just stay," I told her as she sniffed silently.
Why am I surrounded by little girls?
* * *
The sun rose from the eastern sky, and a new day began. We had our breakfast and I got to work right after that.
Before starting the potion-making, I had to deploy someone to work with Ai. Of course, I already knew who.
"Ruby, help Ai shoot. I'll be right here, so don't act up," I said as I began to cook on a stove on the beach.
Ruby looked pissed by the order, but even if she disliked Ai nowadays, it was never enough to want her dead. She knew these shootings would only increase Ai's chance of survival by granting her more power, and since I was truly busy she had no choice but to accept.
At least to give Ai the pose instructions, Ruby will have to converse a little. That's exactly what happened, they talked more in a few hours in comparison to the last two months.
In those hours, I brew two potions. My Soul Fire danced under the pot, while I mixed thousand-year-old Ginsengs with Bloodflower, Fairywand, and Saffron, as well as a dozen other ingredients. All of this was thanks to Ranefer, she delivers well.
There was an intricate rune formation dancing on the ground, that helped me stabilize things further. Every small action here needed a certain level of calculation, and a level-headed spirit to go through the process without hindrance. One small mishap and it wouldn't work, hours of work will fail.
And thanks to this being a public spot, that's exactly what happened. Although they couldn't sense the special power in the steam, they could smell a weird scent from it. Many came to me to ask me what I was doing, or to tell me to take this somewhere else, for the reason which I failed. Thrice.
Many people also came to see Ai, which didn't happen yesterday since there was a spell to change her appearance to normal eyes. However, after the pictures that were posted on Instagram, many creepy and disgusting fans guessed which place she was in, and looked around for anyone who looked remotely like Ai.
My concentration couldn't take it anymore.
After telling Ruby to heighten the spell that blurred Ai's appearance, I had to slip into an Instant Dungeon in the end. My unmatched concentration finally bore fruits half a day later, by the time it was evening I held two cups of potions in my hands.
I canceled the Instant Dungeon and appeared in the real world, where people were enjoying the setting sun in the distance.
My family was sitting around chairs and doing the same, as I approached them. This was going to be a surprise since I hadn't told Uncle and Aunty about this, although the others knew.
"Hey, Uncle, Aunty," I waved at them while two cups of super tea floated beside me. "I've got a gift for both of you."
They turned to look at me in surprise, and even Blue seemed interested in the Psyker Elixirs. She must have read about them in the Emperor biography I gave to the cubs, so she knew how valuable these could be.
"What is this, Aqua?" Miyako asked with a greedy smile. "It couldn't be an eternal youth potion, could it?" We all laughed at her desire to remain young as I handed the cups to her.
The one with Blue liquid went to Miyako, and the Red liquid went to Ichigo. "The blue one has the lowest chance of bearing something dangerous, so Aunty drinks first. You wait for a bit, Uncle, I wouldn't want you to turn into a Sun all of a sudden and burn everything."
Everyone took that as a joke and laughed, but I was not joking. Miyako looked at the elixir and gulped in anticipation, then she poured the drink down her throat. Almost right away she tried to vomit it out, but it was too late. The bad taste didn't matter, what mattered was the power that merged with her DNA.
She coughed and wiped her lips while shooting me a glare, "You're a bad cook."
"Surely," I smiled while everyone muttered behind me, looking at Miyako's eyes.
"Huh? Guys, what? Why are you looking at me weird?" she asked, confused, and her husband quickly came to her rescue with a hand mirror.
Miyako looked into her reflection, where two blue pupils, looking like they belonged to some robot, stared back at her. She blinked as did the reflection. "Huh?!"
"Calm down, let me check," I said and put a hand on her head.
"Materialize: Reverse Soul Reflection," I commanded her soul and a white box prompted in front of her eyes, with details of her powers written on it.
It looked like a game window, just as I had designed it. Like the others, I was very curious about what power she received, so I read out loud the details.
= = =
Ability Type: Psyker Bloodline Ability
Grade: Blue | Information
Name: Cyber Gaze
Details: The extraordinary ability to interface with and manipulate technology merely through sight. Cyber Gaze allows the user the ability to connect to any electronic device within their line of sight, be it a smartphone, computer, or even an entire building's security system. The user can navigate through software, access data, and even control the technology as if they were using it hands-on. This includes the ability to surf the internet directly with their mind, bypassing the need for a physical device.
The power extends to understanding and manipulating digital information in real time, allowing the user to read and intercept electronic communications, alter digital records, and even control drones or other connected devices remotely. The user becomes a living embodiment of the ultimate hacker, and beyond, as her mind can work as a supercomputer if intended.
Limitations –
Range and Line of Sight The user must have a direct line of sight to the target technology to establish and maintain a connection. Obstructions between the user and the device or being out of visual range can sever the link.
Cognitive Strain: Extended use of Cyber Gaze can cause significant mental fatigue, limiting the duration one can safely maintain connections or perform complex tasks. The cognitive load increases with the complexity and number of devices being manipulated.
Security Systems: Highly secured systems may present a challenge to Cyber Gaze. While the user can interact with virtually any technology, advanced security protocols, and encryption can slow down or block access, requiring more effort and concentration to bypass.
= = =
"That's insane." Miyako was the first one to say so herself, "And it's not a hoax, I can open a window in my head like a computer window, through which I can use the internet…. Ai, the latest post got 2 million likes already."
This will be extremely useful. However it did have serious limitations; if she were to be teleported to a place lacking technology, she would be as good as a normal human.
After testing her abilities for a minute, and checking that they indeed performed like magic, we moved on to the other cup. I was giving Uncle the Red Elixir, despite its possible dangers, because he's the only man in the house other than me, and naturally he has to be strong enough to match it. I was looking forward to what power he'll get.
"Everyone, stand behind me," I said as everyone moved behind me. Only Uncle Ichigo remained in front of me, as I stood with my authority ready.
"Drink it," I told him as he nodded. He drank it faster than his wife, the red liquid entered his system in an instant, and something bright blinded us all.
'Please, not a nuclear body,' I prayed in my head while my eyes saw through the light and pierced into the transformation that took place in Uncle's body. I'd have liked it if there was no transformation involved at all, but transformations usually imply that the power would be just that much stronger.
His body changed color, turning red, while his hair fell. He let out a terrible screech as I frowned deeply. His clothes burned off, and his body flickered at a speed that even my eyes failed to perceive. His flesh turned into light, and his body became a bulb of light.
He wasn't doing that knowingly, in an instant his body could be thrown into the sea and cause problems for everyone, including himself.
"Stabilize," I ordered and the world compiled. Uncle's body froze, and the transformation continued smoothly.
Solid body regrew from his light body, but in a different manner than before. It was stone, not flesh. Dark purple crystal wrapped around his body, the overall color was indigo, with several dark lines and spots. His hands and face became magenta, and he also sported six magenta shards on his back, two on his chest, and one on the top of his head that resembled a horn. His face consisted of a mouth and one large green eye at the center.
[Image Here]
The light finally died out, and I recognised what kind of form it was. "Whoa."
How lucky.
A Crystalsapien. The power of energy absorption and redirection, energy emission, enhanced durability, fast flight, UV radiation emission, light generation, impressive physical combat capabilities, regeneration, and the ability to create energy constructs.
On top of that, it's a safe solid form, instead of something like a Nuclear Body or Sun Body, yet owning the power of both.
Incredibly lucky.
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