A test of character.

{AN: Made a discord server with the help of my friend, here is the link:

https://discord.gg/ZCX5F5cfKq

Don't worry I will also post the link in the comments session.}

.

.

.

Having so many memories of yourself is... weird. Theoretically, I should be around 40 if you put my past life in the equation. Yeah, I know this just makes things way weirder, but in my defense, I didn't exactly have the normal adulthood development, I just died. And I don't think any area of psychology had something like reincarnation covered, I could be the norm, or the exception I don't know.

Being mature is a very abstract concept now that I think about it, it's not difficult to find 70+ years old people acting like they are in their teens. So I sort of developed a theory, as crazy as it sounds, I don't think people mature per si, they just grow more experienced, and maybe wise? I don't know precisely, one of the problems of psychology is that every person is unique and different, so even if you can find some patterns here and there, it is still difficult to predict due to how unique everyone is. Principally when you consider that the multiverse is infinite. Meaning that there is an infinite number of possibilities and events.

Where do I want to go with all this non-fact-checked rambling? You see, after the end of the [Dragon Break] I received all those memories right... Meaning that I can theoretically be considered someone who is waaaaaaaaaaay older now. I do indeed have years of different timelines memories. Yes, all those are just 5 days repeated in different ways and forms but I would never negate what has happened.

And you have to know how... impressive that is. There is no historical record of a human with so many memories... And perfect ones at that - Thank you [Sharingan] - Shouldn't my brain have a limit or something? I know thanks to cultivation that my brain may have been improved, it says it improved all aspects of my body, be it hearing, muscle strength, reflexes, sight, anything really, brain included. So my brain is probably better than a normal human, but you have to consider that having the [Sharingan] granted me some similar effects, and there is nothing saying it isn't stackable. No, I am not smarter, I am merely stupid faster. No one suddenly gains intelligence like that.

It's just... kind of "wow" when you think about it. I am just glad that none of my memories appear to have degraded or disappeared... I think? I probably wouldn't know if something like that happens. But I can still remember... Wei... My father... My Mother... the good thing is that I had literal decades of memories to get over their deaths, but the death of a loved one is not something you get over it, you just learn to live with it. *Sigh*, let's think positively, at least now my emotional control is way better, and I sincerely doubt I would have flashbacks or PTSD episodes right now. This means that I could probably train my [Fury] more adequately now, seeing as I am not soo emotionally unstable like I was before.

Yeah, I was quite a mess before, and on several of my alternative memories, this emotional instability was the cause of the death of my teammates. And that is unacceptable, I should-

"You still didn't explain to me what exactly happened Jin."(Shuten).

"Heh, I was expecting you would let it pass with all the new info I dumped into you. But I guess you are sharper than I gave you credit for."(Jin).

"*Humphf* My mother said the same thing 'Being beautiful and dumb is like having the Excalibur and thinking it is an iron sword'. I didn't understand it, but I got the message that dumb = bad."(Shuten).

"Well, if this serves as a consolation I didn't understand it either."(Jin).

"*Eye twitch* stop changing topics you B-Baka."(Shuten).

"No fucking way..."(Jin).

I said that in barely a whisper...Did she just let out a Baka in there? I can't fucking believe it. Better go to the point before she becomes a full-on Tsundere.

"Well, my theory of what happened is... seeing as I am the Dragonborn, meaning that I have a Dragon Soul, so the [Dragon Break] didn't affect me as it should. So at the end of the [Dragon Break], I ended up receiving all the memories of my alternative realities."(Jin).

"Heavens... that means-"(Shuten).

"That I am an one billion-year-old virgin with zero romantic experience?... Now I know how Meng Hao must have felt..."(Jin).

Shuten looked at me weirdly and apprehensively at the same time. Like she wanted to say "Is that really what is worrying you?", but decided to go for a different approach in the end.

"If it is of any consolation to you I am 145 years old and I have no romantic experience either. I didn't even go on a date, yet."(Shuten).

"Well, my sister in the suffering of loneliness. If this serves as any consolation, the first date I ever went to I ended up killing my date not much after."(Jin).

"My brother of the lone torment, I could definitely feel that there is a history behind that one."(Shuten).

"You bet there is... You won't believe in half the crap that happened to me in a supposed 'normal' world."(Jin).

"Heh, I wouldn't mind hearing your crazy tales on a later opportunity. But I guess our priority is exiting this hellhole first."(Shuten).

"Well, your hellhole commentary isn't exactly wrong, this is one of the most dangerous places in this continent. The amount of things that can kill you here is... staggering."(Jin).

"How do you... Ah yeah, alternate memories."(Shuten).

"Indeed. But before we can do anything I wanted to give you a gift. I sort of greeting if you will."(Jin).

"Oh, thank you."(Shuten)

"Oh, don't thank me yet."(Jin).

I looked at the tall woman at my side, her body could easily be described as the body of a perfect Amazon, curvaceous and well proportioned, I could even see some of her muscles hiding underneath, but her muscles fit with her physique a lot they are sleek and well-proportioned giving her a firm yet soft appearance, the body of a goddess indeed. But right now I was not going to admire her beauty. Bringing up my pink finger, filling it with [Ripple], in a swift motion, I thrust my hand towards the base of her lungs.

I was fast and precise, way more than I had been before, which is not exactly a surprise, I had a lot of practice after all. The moment I touched her skin I could feel it was way harder and more durable than anything I had ever felt before, heck Elii's scales felt like a poor defense compared to Shuten skin. Soon enough I could feel her hardened muscles underneath, I was quite surprised that at how hard they felt, something like a bunch of coiled steel cables is the closest analogy I can think of. And the most impressive thing is that she barely even looked like it. The supernatural is really scary, huh.

I almost felt I wouldn't be able to reach her lungs base, but thankfully I had just improved a lot recently. If it wasn't for that I probably would've fallen short. It just a single touch, but it was already enough for my [Ripple] to spark a chain reaction on her body.

Immediately losing the airs on her lungs Shuten couldn't believe what just happened. She tough this person in front of her was someone she could mildly trust, but he just attacked her out of the blue. Is he one of those perverts mother talked about? Will I be used as a-

"Calm down girl. Relax. Breath, let the [Ripple] work its magic."(Jin).

I wanted to confirm a theory of mine, and by the looks of things, I was proven right. Shuten quickly lost all the air in her lungs, and when she was despairing she heard my voice, she wanted to simply refute it, to go against the advice of a person who just attacked her, but her instincts are telling her to follow his instructions, and she believed in her Oni instincts wholeheartedly. Relaxing she let the [Ripple] work its magic, the positive energy of the sun suddenly started filling her body, her lungs powering it to new heights, at first it was a slightly uncomfortable sensation, like her body didn't like the new energy circulating on it at first, but soon, it was as if something just *clicked*, the [Ripple] started to flow normally and fill her body with vitality and energy.

She could breathe normally again, and she felt so alive, more alive than she ever felt. hidden wounds that she didn't know were being healed, awkward distributed muscles being correctly balanced, it was a complete invigorating sensation. With her somewhat recovered breath, she angrily asks:

"What the hell was that?"(Shuten).

"Relax, what I just did was activate your [Ripple]. You can feel it right? The energy coming from your lungs, filling your body with-"(Jin).

"I-I know w-what I am feeling. I w-want to know w-why would you do that? I am grateful for the cool new power... b-but couldn't you have simply warned me first or something?"(Shuten).

I can't exactly say I did that mainly to test her character, can I? Ops, I guess a little bit of context is needed. You see, when I use [Ripple] to awaken someone's I briefly touch their own [Ripple], meaning I can catch a brief abstract feeling of their personality, meaning this is literally one of the best character tests that I can think of. Yeah in no moment I believed or trusted in her completely, but after activating her [Ripple]? She gained a lot of trust points with me, principally due to the fact that she didn't immediately react violently to it.

I did the same with the team too. It's not because I saved everyone that I would instantly believe them, so activating their [Ripple] wasn't just for the extra help. Okay, I admit that my first thought was about the extra help, the character test was more of a bonus.

Another thing is that I wanted to see if Oni were affected by [Ripple], principally seeing the quite demonic reputation that Shuten Douji and Ibaraki Douji have, or any other Yokai really, just look at Tamamo-No-Mae. But I guess Yokai are more similar to a human in that regards, they are considered natural, those evil Yokais are just bad seeds. Or Shuten is special in some way, who knows?

Now better give her a convincing response, thankful I had that covered also.

"For people to not confuse you with a Dremora."(Jin).

"A what now?"(Shuten).

"A Dremora. They are the equivalent of Reincarnated Devils of your world, but more universally hated and despised by every living being... and you remember that my teammates first thought you were a Dremora right?"(Jin).

"Yeah, I remember them asking speculating something like that..."(Shuten).

"... so, you see, Dremora are incapable of using [Ripple]... and [Ripple] being something fairly famous here..."(Jin).

"Ahh, I see... Like this, no one would be able to confuse me with a Dremora."(Shuten).

"Indeed. We can't exactly hide your horns, nor I think you would want to cut them-"(Jin).

"Never."(Shuten).

"So that is the best reason I can think off."(Jin).

"... thank you... but couldn't you at least have explained that first?"(Shuten).

"Well, yeah I could. But when someone is expecting it, they tense their muscles, making the act something way more difficult. And with your steel-like muscles, I was barely was able to do it while you were relatively relaxed, if you tensed I probably would have failed."(Jin).

"Thanks for the compliment. It's nice being compliment by someone."(Shuten).

"No problem. I was just stating the facts."(Jin).

"Oh, you flirt."(Shuten).

"*Sigh* Whatever, let's go, you will probably need to introduce yourself to everyone again."(Jin).

"What? Why?"(Shuten).

"[Dreagon Break] remember?"(Jin).

"Ah yeah. They probably forgot it didn't they?"(Shuten).

"Probably. I will also teach you about [Ripple] on the way, everyone on the team already knows it and have some days of practice. So if have some doubts they could probably help you a bit. And before you ask I am no master of [Ripple], I've been practicing it for less than a year."(Jin).

"Didn't you just receive tons of memories of alternative timelines... shouldn't that... I don't know... make you some kind of super-duper instant expert."(Shuten).

"Touche. But in my memories, the most I did was use the same moves a bunch of times, meaning I gained more experience, not techniques. Yes, I do indeed have some newer techniques, but those are few in between."(Jin).

"Whatever you say, master. But before that, can you give me some introduction to this world? I hate feeling lost about things, and it won't do to cause confusion like the first time I met with you guys."(Shuten).

"Indeed some common knowledge is paramount to survivability. But I would like to inform you that my information is spotty at best, so don't expect it to be 100% true, I am still collecting new info about this place."(Jin).

"Yeah, I have no problems with that, as you said. Information is needed for survival."(Shuten).

"Hmmm. I guess I should start with the races of this continent. Just be warned that these are just the races I know, there are probably more out there, no, scratch that, there are most certainly more races out there. Much like your world this world has a bunch of different races; the races of Men, the races of Mer, and the Beast races."(Jin).

"The races of Mer, are what you would call Elves, they are point-eared, long-lived, and with a knack for magic. Much like your world, there is a bunch of different elves; Dunmer(Dark Elves), Altmer (High Elves), Falmer (Snow Elves), Orsimer(Orcs) and so it goes. There are indeed more elves, but sadly I don't know much about them, I know there are Sea Elves, and some other elves specialized in alteration magic, sadly I don't have much knowledge about them."(Jin).

"Ahhh, so you friend there is a Dunmer... interesting."(Shuten).

"His name is Turalion. For the Beast races we have; Khajiit and Argonians, I know there is more but I sadly can't remember them. But they are probably easy to spot, much like the elves. Elii and Aahin are an Argonian and Khajiit respectively, Argonians are lizard-like humanoids, and Kahjiit are a cat-like race. Be warned that Khajiits can come in many shapes or forms, there are literally some who are four-legged or those who just have cat ears and tails, they are pretty close to Yokais in general actually."(Jin).

"Interesting, I would like to know about their culture one day."(Shuten).

"You can always ask Elii or Aahin, I am sure they would be delighted to talk about it. The last race is the current dominant race in this continent, the races of men. Those are Nords, Bretons, Imperials, Redguards, and some others. They mostly look like different types of humans, but be aware that depending on their race they may have different skills and resistances."(Jin)

I continued explaining some of the basics of what I know to Shuten, while we slowly walked towards my teammates. I explained the details of every race, like how Nords are resistant to cold, or how Redguards have an affinity with blades. Talked a little about history, making sure she understood that this is probably the worst of my knowledge seeing as this world has [Ripple] and [Ki] history may have been very different in some aspects.

Of course, we don't have hours so I just gave her a summary and an overview, when we reach a city and somehow establish ourselves I can delve deeper, maybe even buy some book to deepen my knowledge.

I also gave her the lecture and guided her with [Ripple] almost the same way I did with the team, thankfully this time we weren't in a hurry. So I could explain things in more detail and calmly.

"...So you need to know that [Ripple] is breathing, and breathing is [Ripple]. Your breathing is the most important thing for this technique. you can also see that the lungs of a [Ripple] user are very developed, which also mean if you train your lungs you will probably have an improvement with [Ripple]."(Jin).

"Wow. [Ripple] is incredible."(Shuten).

"Indeed. Now, read to introduce yourself yet gain?"(Jin).

"*Sigh*. Let's go."(Shuten).