414 Spiritual Class and Spirit Class, fooling oneself, and two problems

Nine stars twinkled in the sky, showering the blood world with white-blue and pale yellow starry light.

The tenth star burned in Kai's heart, brighter than all.

After sealing the broken piece of Reality Marble's sky, the dull, sinister silence had returned. The pressure falling over all beings was still as great as ever, rooting them to their place. None could move, none could react, and none could see…

… None could see that there was a yellow stroke on Kai's forehead, glowing with a sickly glow. This stroke was neither straight nor curved, and its geometry would have forced others to nauseate on the spot if they could look at it.

But the curse placed on Kai by the Rinnegan-user was still active, making it impossible for even Deep Ones to know the Yellow Sign's existence on him. Much less needed to be said about half part of one of its three arms.

But it was this half-arm that had changed everything for Kai. His fate, his destiny, his life trajectory, and almost everything about him seemed to have changed. Or it was better to say it had evolved, transcending his previous Self.

Yet, something was missing about him. Something only Kai could feel.

-I can't sense my Reiryoku and Reiatsu,- Kai hissed, looking at his body. -The Spiritual Awakening should have awakened by Reiatsu Vents. But I didn't get System's Notification about it. Nor can I sense any Spirituality within me. Is it because of my low Breath?-

Kai wasn't as unaware of things as he had after arriving at the Primordial Tower for the first time. If there was a gain that could be truly said to be a life-changing event, then that was his enslaving Item-M.

With her came not only a loyal servant but also an enormous source of knowledge.

'We differ from the in-world Characters of Bleach,' Item-M had told him after his return from VF Random World. 'When we go through our Spiritual Awakening, we also awaken our Reiryoku (Spiritual Power) and Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure). It's just like how we have SP, but it doesn't mean we can use it as Chakra. It's also like how we have HP, but it doesn't mean it can be used as Nen. No.

'We must first bring our Stats to an appropriate limit, and only then the System will notify you about it, allotting your new Stats related to it.

'In the most general cases, a Contestant will need 20 points of Breath and acknowledgment from a Shinigami, Arrancar, Quincy, or similar existences from Bleach World. One can even go to Inuyasha World, as the concept of Reiryoku is quite broad and spread across many such Random Worlds. Only then, upon Spiritual Awakening, the Systems would allot the Stats Spiritual Class and Spirit Class to a Contestant.

'But with the matter of Verse Fusion of Demon Slayer and Bleach Worlds, things seemed to have gone off-course in your case, master. I think you don't need acknowledgment anymore.'

It could even be said that Kai had already gotten all the acknowledgment he needed, as the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, was a major Character in her own rights.

A shocking burst of light kept seeping out from the yellow stroke on Kai's forehead as he frowned.

-According to Item-M, there are 6 levels of Spiritual Class and 20 levels of Spirit Class,- Kai hissed, recalling the info. -Even if my Breath is below 20 points, I should have gotten the lowest level of Spiritual Class, Basic Spiritual Power, and the lowest rank of Spirit Class, the 20th. Something's wrong.-

It was then the evil cackle of the Sword Spirit rang in Kai's ears. Kai's eyes under the Dementor's hood shifted to look at it, demanding an explanation.

-Keke!- the yellow-haired being's hisses were full of mockery. -Kai, oh, Kai! Did you think you could just fuck around with Luck without facing the consequences?-

Kai's pupils trembled at the mention of Luck. A bang rang out in his mind, forcing out a buried memory. Mechanically, Kai's gaze landed on the Equipped Title on his Stats, which could appear in his vision with the faintest command.

The Title Poacher was written in bold letters there, giving both his Agility and Perception an extra point, while reducing his Charisma by 2.

This?!

Where was the Novice Collector Title? Where were the extra 3 points of Luck?

After gaining the Novice Collector Title, only once had Kai switched to another Title, and that was to gain Shinobu as his subordinate. Never had he even contemplated putting off Novice Collector Title, for it brought down his Luck to its original value. 3!

Yet, it was exactly what he had done.

Not to mention, Kai himself seemed to remember this switching of Titles only now. What was going on?

-On Interceptor, you lost your Comprehension about Luck at Two Extremities,- the Sword Spirit hissed. -But you did gain a 1000th of that Epiphany before it truly vanished. When you charged to save the Book, despite knowing it meant sure death, it wasn't just because it adhered to your Demonic Attitude. No. Sure the reasoning behind your actions sounded cool, but it being cool wasn't enough, right? The risk was just too great.

-The reasoning that forced even you to discard the prospects of sure death… was that you were adamant about testing out the 1000th part of that epiphany gained by you.-

Kai's face grew hard, remembering the time when he had switched the Titles. It was just before entering the Inheritance Land's boundaries.

-Kekeke!- the yellow-haired being cackled. -Your Luck would bring upon you doom, you knew. Yet, you also had gained an Understanding that… if you were to survive that doom somehow, you would gain immense Power.

-The moment these thoughts had risen in your heart, you used the Facelessness Contrasts to fool yourself, nudging your Self to believe that you only wanted to save the Book, and had no other purpose. Otherwise, you couldn't have forced yourself to transcend your current capabilities, going beyond. It was also because of this that you ended up awakening your Spirituality, gaining this serendipity. Now that's… truly demonic. A demon for others and a demon for oneself. Keke! What a Blood Demon!-

What a Blood Demon!

The words rang far and wide as if the entire Reality Marble was praising the hideous resolve someone like Kai could show.

-I still don't understand,- Kai hissed, not commenting on his risks and reasoning.

-Limitless Blood Firmament is the immense Power you were hoping to obtain,- the Sword Spirit told him. -But how could the world tolerate the existence of something so casually that could seal the entire universe? The Multiverse Interdependency has linked your Spiritual Awakening and Reality Marble. Or, you can say that your Spiritual aspects are now inherently linked with this World. It has created two major problems.

-First, considering the absurdness of your Reality Marble, and according to my understanding, you would have needed at least 50 Points of Intelligence to even activate this Reality Marble. Now, you need 50 Points both in Intelligence and Breath, as the Reality Marble will consume both your MP and SP. Not to mention, to keep it activated even for a few minutes, you will easily need double that amount. Keke! Are you getting how crucial this meeting of ours is, now?-

Kai's face instantly crumpled.

50 Points in both Intelligence and Breath? This was too far from him, Kai knew. Especially when the 3rd Set only allowed 100 Points in its Set Quota.

One must not forget that there were 6 Attributes, Kai was in the 2nd Set that had 50 points in Set Quota, and that Tournament of Worth was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

An Attribute gaining 50 Points was the minimum requirement for one to be called a top-level 9th-floor existence, to begin with. And that, too, only was the case when such Contestants didn't lack in other Attributes, maintaining a balance.

-What's the second?- Kai demanded.

-You can not Release me outside the Reality Marble. Kekeke!-

'What?!' Kai almost lost his composure. 'Motherfucker…'

What's the point of Spiritual Awakening if he could not use Shikai? And Kai dared not think about Bankai when even the basic conditions were already against him.

Suddenly, the Sword Spirit's cackling intensified.

Kai's bubbling anxiety paused with this rise in cackles. Now that he had Comprehended the true essence of his Inner World, his Reality Marble, the Sword Spirit had already accepted him worthy enough to wield it. That also meant the connection between it and Kai had undergone a momentous change, deepening more than ever.

Kai could feel it. He could feel that the Sword Spirit, despite the two foul problems it had told him, didn't share his anxiety.

-Keke! Now, those two were the horrid problems caused by your Luck,- the Sword Spirit hissed. -It's natural that you gained an even greater fortune out of it, then. This fortune… is also divided into two parts.-