Chapter 59 The World's Will
[Ding! Advanced to Natal Spirit]
[The Spiritual Twin has awakened]
[You started communicating to the Spirit Ocean through your Spiritual Twin]
[Current Connection: 1 Strand]
[Spiritual Twin's Stats: 1 Strength, 2 Endurance]
[Generated a Skill: Potential Drawing(Natal Spirit)]
[Potential Drawing: Strengthen your Spiritual Twin by letting it borrow the main body's stats. 10% per Strand]
I see. So even at this level, they can just strengthen their Spiritual Twin to best their opponent. But mine will be too overpowered compared to theirs, right?
It will destroy every Spiritual Twin of any Natal Spirit here. Even with only 10% of my stats, it will be at least thrice as strong? But I could feel like bypassing this stage is possible.
Let's see.
I concentrated again and poured more Spirit Energy to the now awakened Spiritual Twin, if previously it still looks illusory, it's body gradually materialized as if it was real. The previous blank facial expression of it started to turn life-like.
In its initial state, I could only give it simple commands like attack and defend. As it grew and its connection to the Spirit Ocean strengthened, it started to have its own judgement. Though there's still no intelligence, I could expect it to move on its own, reading my mind on who the enemy or ally is.
From one Strand to five Strands, it only took me 4 hours of nourishing my Spiritual Twin by gathering and controlling the Spirit Energy around me.
Like I thought, I really did breeze through this stage easily. The Spiritual Twin's stats now grew to 5 Strength and 10 Endurance.
What's next was for me to fuse with it, creating 5 new Strands in my own body then combining it to become a Stream.
But breezing through it still took a toll on me so I opted to do it tomorrow. Turning myself to bed, I left the Spiritual Twin materialized in front of me to see how long it will last without my supervision.
Normally, when a Natal Spirit sleeps, their Spiritual Twin will vanish upon sensing that the main body is unconscious since it's still the one providing it with Spirit Energy. The Strands of connection to the Spirit Ocean weren't providing Spirit Energy. But since I'm passively accumulating Spirit Energy, maybe it could maintain it.
Well, it's just a test and tomorrow I will fuse with it. I still haven't asked Yumiko about her current Spirit Cultivation, is she also a Noble Spirit or still a tier below it?
Raiden and Yuko are a Saint Realm and Great-Class respectively but their strength approached the next realm or even higher than that. But Yumiko here defeated Harlan just with her ability. Could Spirit Cultivation complement her ability? Since both have the same 'Spirit' on it, they must be related, right?
I'm on this train of thought when I drifted to sleep.
Splash!
Being my first day here, I thought I would have a peaceful sleep but not long after it, I was jolted awake.
Am I really awake or? This is the first time that it happened. Not even in the first or second world did I wake from a dream.
I looked around me and I saw myself in a place surrounded by water.
Eh?
No, I'm not just surrounded by water, there's only water as far as my eye could see.
And I'm floating above it.
It's only a few seconds before I recognized what this place I've woken up to. If not for my Adaptability, I would've thought I was having a wet dream. A literal wet dream.
This place is the Spirit Ocean.
Just by realizing that, my Adaptability was already gearing up to control this wide ocean of Spirit Energy. I couldn't move it on my own will yet but controlling a small part of it? It's more than possible.
But why am I here? I only have 5 Strands of connection to it, to have my consciousness travel to this with only that, did I get pulled by something?
"Correct."
A monotone voice then sounded out from behind me. I looked back but saw nothing.
Who is it and did it just read my mind?
"I'm what you would call the World's Will."
Continued the voice. It still has the same tone and instead of ringing from behind me, the voice seemingly came from all around me.
"Only your consciousness was pulled here. That's why your thoughts were laid bare in here."
"You're an anomaly. And if you couldn't provide me with an explanation, I will deem you as a serious threat."
"You're more dangerous than the higher energy trying to assimilate this world. Even now, you can exert control over the Spirit Ocean. It's still weak but your potential threat is something I cannot ignore.
I see. What I did of rushing to only use 4 hours to open the 5 Strands of connection alarmed the World's Will. It didn't happen at the World of Barbarians since even if that's unprecedented, it's still possible to reach 3rd Stage of Mortal Realm in one night.
My theory about me being able to control it fully in the future was correct. If I really grew stronger than this, I could even replace the World's Will, I could deprive or bless anyone I wanted to. But that's only an authority over a Level 1 Energy that's probably inherent in the 30 Otherworlds.
I'm sure the World's Will was listening to my thoughts right now. It's at least sentient to immediately detect me but it's impartial to its denizens. Favoring neither the Spiritas nor the Spirit Beasts.
"Level 1 Energy. True. It seems you're not from this world. It explains why you're an anomaly. That higher world only sent 1 of its denizens to help and it's not you."
It's because of my Adaptability it made the world think I'm a native of this world. And yeah, I couldn't hide anything from this World's Will so I should just reveal everything to it.
Sooner or later even if I opted to be cautious, I will still be detected by the World's Will. Controlling the inherent energy is something no denizen can do.
"Adaptability. Did you hail from that Higher World?"
If it is pertaining to Earth then yes, I tag along with the Helper it sent. It was made possible by this ability of mine.
"What is your purpose?"
To Support the Helper? To help her close the Portal breach that might open our world to the threats this world is facing? No. That's just a job given to me. What about my own agenda by coming here? Isn't it to just grow stronger to stand next to Yuko?
I don't know. There's also my search for something that could restore my lost memory.
But for now, given that I'm still too weak to do anything on my own. Preventing the Invading Forces to succeed is one of my priorities.
"I understand. You're not a threat, currently. But know that I will be watching you."
Should I sigh in relief? No. This just means that I have to be careful starting today. If in the next world I recklessly do the same thing and the World's Will immediately takes me as a threat, I might die without knowing why. I should find a way to interact with them once I first set foot on a new world.
But since this is the first time for me to interact with a World's Will. It's a chance to gather information. Especially about the deal between the two worlds.
It recognized the helper as something Earth sent to help repel the Invading Forces but what does Earth get in return?
"I cannot divulge that information to you. I'll be sending you back now."
Wait! At least tell me where does the Psyche Energy that boosted the Helper's ability come from?!
"Isn't it obvious to you by now?"
Leaving those words, my vision darkened before it turned back to the ceiling of the room where I fell asleep.
The Spiritual Twin I released was still standing where I left it.
To have an encounter like that… It just meant I'm steadily growing stronger that even the World's Will is starting to notice me. Soon, even the Invading Forces will catch wind of my existence, before that happens, I have to prepare myself.
And the World's Will last words, I guess it's really the Earth itself who's boosting them during the transfer from Earth to the Otherworld. That also confirmed that our homeworld isn't that simple. When the World's Will heard of my ability, it immediately connected me to Earth or the Higher World as it calls it.
Let's organize the information I gathered first before thinking about what to do next.