After completing the fusion, Kiana felt as though something extra had been added to her brain.
Although her body hadn't changed outwardly, she could feel power surging endlessly from within.
*Ugh, I got too excited after watching Mr. Dante's combat footage just now. I haven't even had time to see what this template looks like yet... System!*
[Template — Dante (Devil May Cry)]
[Skills — Demon Bloodline (Modified), Style Switch, Devil Trigger (Modified).]
[Ding! Detected that Demon Bloodline (Modified) and [Kaslana Bloodline] can be fused. Fusing... Loading...]
[Fusion complete. The two skills, Demon Bloodline (Modified) and [Kaslana Bloodline], have changed to Skill (??? Bloodline).]
[Ding! Detected changes in the fuser's inherent skills. Updating template!]
[Ding! Detected that Devil Trigger (Modified) does not meet activation or evolution conditions. Evolution failed.]
[Skill 1: ??? Bloodline Characteristics.]
[Effect: The product of fusing the bloodlines of the Kaslana Ancestor (Kevin) and the Demon Powerhouse (Sparda). Possesses the power, potential, and characteristics of both. The holder of this skill gains significantly increased [Honkai Resistance] and recovery capabilities.]
[Can use special techniques to utilize Meta-Morph Factors in combat, but combat duration cannot exceed the time limit.]
[Can utilize the magical energy brought by the Demon Bloodline for combat. Fuser must discover specific usage methods on their own.]
[Skill 2: Style Switch Characteristics.]
[Effect: (Devil Hunter) Dante can switch styles during combat. Currently available styles: (Trickster), (Weapon Master), (Royalguard), (Quicksilver), (Doppelganger).]
[Trickster — After switching to this mode, the fuser's body becomes more agile, allowing flexible use of magical energy to perform actions normally impossible, such as teleportation and multi-jumps.]
[Weapon Master — After switching to this mode, the fuser can utilize weapons more proficiently, whether ranged or melee, increasing weapon mastery and technique, while combining weapons with magical energy to execute exquisite attacks.]
[Royalguard — The fuser can absorb enemy attacks using magical energy, then reflect the absorbed power back in a single burst.]
[Note: Royalguard requires extremely high reaction speed. Those who cannot react in time are advised not to use it. Additionally, attacks that cannot be blocked naturally cannot be absorbed, so do not expect to use this move to absorb attacks that are too powerful.]
[Quicksilver — Slows the flow of time in the surrounding space. Only the fuser using this mode can move normally within this space.]
[Note: Quicksilver consumes an immense amount of magical energy. Please do not force yourself if you feel your body becoming drained.]
[Doppelganger (Sealed) — The fuser summons a shadow double with power equal to their own to attack the enemy before them.]
[Note: Doppelganger consumes an immense amount of magical energy. Please do not force yourself if you feel your body becoming drained. Additionally, this skill is sealed for unknown reasons. Please investigate the cause on your own.]
[Skill 3: Devil Trigger (Modified).]
[Effect: Currently unusable. Sealed.]
[Trait — Devil Hunter. In decades of combat, Dante has slain countless demons and saved countless humans. Fusers holding this trait will receive a damage bonus when their attacks hit 'non-human' opponents.]
[Note: This template has high plasticity. Upon reaching a certain level of fusion, this template will continue to update.]
After reading this long template introduction, Kiana felt like she was invincible... okay, maybe not that exaggerated.
But she definitely felt it—her strength had increased massively.
However, amidst her satisfaction, Kiana saw the final few lines.
[Important Notes.]
[The fusion rate of this template does not represent combat power compatibility. Even if the fuser's fusion rate reaches 50%, it does not mean the fuser's strength has reached 50% of the template's original owner. Of course, when the fusion rate reaches the cap of 100%, the fuser's strength will naturally reach 100%.]
[Current Stage: Fuser (Kiana Kaslana) Fusion Rate — 3%.]
?
??
???
*System! Get out here!*
*Explain to me why it's only 3%! Am I really that weak? (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻*
[The guaranteed base fusion rate after template fusion is 1%. Detected that the fuser holds Dante's weapons 'Ebony & Ivory' and 'Devil Sword Rebellion', increasing fusion rate by 1% each. So, it adds up to 3%.]
*So that three percent includes my equipment???*
[Please understand, Miss Kiana, that fusing this template means you can comprehend and use the other party's tactics, abilities, and bloodline, but it does not mean you have touched the ceiling of this powerhouse.]
[From living incognito as a mercenary until his final duel with his brother, Dante fought for over twenty years—do you think you can match someone's twenty-plus years of skill right off the bat?]
[Putting aside everything else, do you think unlocking your Meta-Morph Factors in the forest over the past half-month was an easy task?]
*No...*
[Exactly. That man's battles were far more arduous than your half-month of training.]
*Is... is that so...*
[Fusing a template is equivalent to helping you pave a road. The reason the Dante Template is a grand prize is simply because his base abilities are extremely strong, and his ceiling is even higher.]
[As for how long it will take for you to reach 100% fusion, Miss Kiana... this System cannot easily estimate that.]
*Hmm... In that case, I must have become pretty strong too.*
*I... should be able to help him now, right?*
[To make a comparison, in a life-or-death battle between you and Tester 233, the win-loss ratio would likely be 7:3.]
*Eh? Even after this power-up, I only have 70%?*
[That 70% is his. You only have 30%, thank you very much.]
*Didn't you say the Dante Template was the grand prize???*
*Although I wouldn't want to fight a death match with Aaron, what is this subtle feeling of annoyance? I feel like I'm being looked down on.*
[Simply put, Miss Kiana, your talent as a warrior is outstanding, and the Dante Template has an extremely high ceiling and a decent floor. However...]
[Tester 233 prepares extensively before battle, and if pushed into a corner during a fight, he stops caring about his own life.]
[This System is not telling you to learn his style, but in battle, someone who doesn't care if they live or die is indeed more terrifying.]
*That guy... he really is too reckless!*
[Cut him some slack. After all, being reckless isn't always the worst solution. Often, sitting and waiting for death is the worst choice.]
[Alright, enhancement complete. If there's nothing else...]
*Let's make a deal. We're so close now—*
[This System absolutely will not give you Tester 233's information.]
*Leave!*
[You got it.]
Hearing that flat, inflectionless voice, Kiana found it incredibly punchable.
*Stingy ghost. Why can't you just tell me a little about Aaron!*
*I'm going to die of anger!*
Glancing at the alarm clock by her bed, Kiana took a deep breath and collapsed weakly onto her pillow.
Over the past two months, she had been through a lot.
Truth be told, although she often encountered situations that looked dangerous during battles, in reality, the danger she faced...
Had she really ever been in danger?
Aaron always stood before her as a shield, no matter when it was. In battle, he would always try to defeat the strongest enemies in a suicidal manner.
Even after she became stronger later on, she could only manage not to be a burden...
—And then drag the blood-soaked Aaron back to safety.
*I... really was too lax...*
*After arriving in Nagazora City and meeting Mei, I almost forgot that Honkai Beasts and the Honkai exist in this world.*
*That damn old man has been missing for so long... sure, he's strong, but he's missing an arm!*
*With only one arm, he can't even hold his sword with two hands. Meeting weaker Honkai Beasts is fine, but if he meets stronger ones...*
*No, I can't think like that. Smelly Dad is so strong, he'll definitely be fine.*
*So now, I really should work hard to become stronger. Then, the next time I meet Smelly Dad, I'll give him two hard punches and ask him where the hell he's been all these years!*
*And Mei... her father was likely framed. She's only just recovered recently; I can't let her return to how she was before.*
*Finally, Aaron...*
*That idiot. Now that he's back in this world where he doesn't need to fight, he should be a little more well-behaved...*
*Wait!*
*Why am I thinking about that idiot!*
*And what the hell was that last sentence, "Remember to eat on time"!*
*In his eyes, do I just eat that much!*
*Hmph, once I get stronger, I'm definitely going to find him and ask him clearly—what did that sentence mean!*
[Sigh, why are both sides reacting like this?]
*...Why haven't you left yet!*
[Going, going. This System is rolling away now.]
After confirming the System really seemed unresponsive, Kiana lay on her bed, trying to clear all thoughts from her brain.
Only now, despite being exhausted enough to sleep the moment her head hit the pillow, she found herself...
Unable to sleep.
........................
**Next Day. Soukai City.**
After resting until noon, Aaron, who hadn't slept well all night, looked out the hotel window and suddenly felt a bit dazed.
The fusion with the System earlier had been too sudden, causing him to focus all his energy on purchasing supplies and preparing tools.
Only now, after completing the first mission, did he feel a sense of 'reality'.
He had transmigrated.
And now, he was no longer the poor ghost who had to scrimp and save.
With the wallet and credit card prepared by the System, he could enjoy everything this world had to offer.
Before, his nerves were strung too tight. He had to worry about the dungeon difficulty being too high and getting himself killed, while also worrying about his [Honkai Resistance] and potentially being insta-killed by a descending Honkai eruption.
But now, the situation was different.
After fighting through one dungeon, Aaron had become much stronger.
He no longer needed to worry about [Honkai Resistance], and as for combat power...
Otto Apocalypse had an agreement with Fu Hua, so Otto wouldn't lose his mind and send people to wreak havoc in Soukai City.
As for Anti-Entropy, although Cocolia, the acting leader, wasn't very bright, she wouldn't go so far as to cause trouble here in Soukai City.
World Serpent was still dormant.
"Thinking about it this way, now that I have [Honkai Resistance], I don't seem to need to worry about safety most of the time?"
*But, why do I still feel... a bit uneasy?*
*Incomprehensible.*
*Is it because the pressure over those few months was too great, so my subconscious hasn't relaxed yet...*
"Forget it. I'm safe for the short term. Time to go out and find some fun."
[Tester 233, this System is a little curious. What exactly do you plan to do for this so-called fun?]
*Life was bitter before. I couldn't even afford a meal at Golden Arches.*
*Now that I have ample funds, I thought about it... I don't seem to need to be as frugal as before.*
[Is that all... Tester 233, this System actually supports you enjoying yourself while you can. After all...]
*After all, I might be gone any day, right?*
[Why would you think this System would generate such a curse-like thought?]
*When you stop halfway through a sentence, it's usually nothing good.*
[Ha, caught me.]
[Indeed, although your performance in the first dungeon was decent, it was just 'decent'. At least one-tenth of the testers performed better than you in their first dungeon.]
[And now...]
*Alright, no need to throw meme stickers.*
[So, this System thinks the string really shouldn't be kept too tight.]
*Work-life balance... Heh, what a distant term.*
*Forget it, I won't think about it so much.*
*I'll go out for a walk to clear my mind, then think about what kind of tactics I can develop for combat with the abilities I have on hand.*
......................
**Same day, Noon**
In Raiden Mei's home, Raiden Mei looked back from the kitchen at the absent-minded Kiana Kaslana and let out a helpless sigh.
Although she knew Kiana had been looking forward to the other amusement park today for a long time, Raiden Mei really hadn't expected Kiana to be this disappointed upon learning it was temporarily closed.
After enjoying themselves at one amusement park yesterday, Kiana and Mei had agreed to go to another one with different facilities this morning to have fun.
But just this morning, Raiden Mei received a call from the amusement park staff.
On the phone, the staff apologetically informed Raiden Mei that the park was temporarily suspending operations starting today, and the pre-booked tickets Raiden Mei had bought were naturally voided.
Of course, to compensate customers like Raiden Mei, the amusement park very sincerely chose to refund double the ticket price to her payment account.
Being a good-tempered young lady, Raiden Mei naturally wouldn't make things difficult for them after learning this.
So, after a little thought, she decided that as compensation, she would personally cook a table of good food for Kiana at home today.
After breaking the news, Raiden Mei went out to buy ingredients and began cooking with all her effort.
But now, seeing the unhappy look on Kiana's face, she realized the blow Kiana took was bigger than she imagined.
"Kiana, don't think about it so much."
Placing the final dish on the table, Mei set a bowl of rice in front of Kiana and smiled.
"There's plenty of time in the future. As long as the amusement park hasn't gone out of business, we'll have plenty of time to go play there."
"So for now, cheer up a little?"
"Mmh..."
*Amusement park...*
*I forgot about that.*
*When I entered that dungeon two months ago, I was worried I wouldn't be able to make the appointment.*
*But now... do I really have time to spend on these things?*
"Kiana?"
Watching Kiana woodenly shovel food into her mouth, Raiden Mei felt Kiana's state was even more off.
"Are you... okay? You're a little strange today."
"I'm fine... Mei, don't worry too much, I'm really fine."
Seeing Kiana's forced smile, the worry in Raiden Mei's heart grew.
She hadn't known Kiana for very long, but she knew very well what kind of person her best friend was.
The usually sunny and free-spirited Kiana rarely showed such a preoccupied expression.
And judging by their state when they parted yesterday, yesterday's Kiana was clearly her usual self.
*Hmm, did something happen last night?*
*Something that caused Kiana to show this expression now.*
Meanwhile, under Raiden Mei's gaze, some strange thoughts popped into Kiana's brain.
*Mei's cooking really is getting better and better.*
*Compared to the frozen food that guy Aaron would just heat up, Mei's skills... there's no comparison at all...*
*But why... even though this food should be delicious, I find it a bit hard to swallow...*
*Aaron...*
*Where...*
*Exactly are you right now...*
If one had to ask about Aaron's current state, after enjoying a gourmet meal he had never experienced in his life, he found...
—The anxiety in his heart had not dissipated; instead, it had become more severe.
*Even though I temporarily don't need to worry about fighting those Teigu users to the death, and I've gained stronger [Honkai Resistance], I should be fine relaxing a little.*
*But now, why is my anxiety growing?*
*Is it worry about the next dungeon?*
*No, obviously not.*
*Then what am I anxious about?*
Irritated, Aaron took out the phone he bought two months... well, technically yesterday, and started browsing recent news.
Then, upon seeing a news item, he suddenly froze.
[A certain amusement park in Nagazora City, which hasn't closed in ten years, suddenly suspended operations today.]
Honestly, this news was nonsensical. In Aaron's eyes, it was just filler written by a rookie reporter.
But seeing the words "Nagazora City," he found his heart reacting.
In that instant, anxiety turned directly into unease, invading his heart.
[Oi, oi, oi, Tester 233, what are you doing?]
Noticing Aaron making moves contrary to his norm, the System issued a prompt in Aaron's mind.
[Are you sure you want to do this?]
*...You're annoying. Why do you care so much?*
[You know very well that something is bound to happen in Nagazora City within a month, right? Buying a plane ticket to Nagazora City now—is something wrong with you, or is something wrong with me? If this System couldn't detect your—]
*Cut the crap. Mind your own business.*
[No, no, no, this System doesn't intend to interfere. But who was it that said, "I will survive, by any means necessary. Even if I have to take the life of an innocent girl, I won't hesitate"?]
[Your current behavior doesn't match your previous thoughts and statements at all, Tester 233.]
*...Nonsense.*
*Now that I've obtained new power, shouldn't I find a place to test the performance of my new skills and my combat power after fusing the template?*
*With high-level [Honkai Resistance], I no longer need to worry about Honkai energy eroding my body.*
*So, what's the problem with finding a place in this world to confirm my combat power?*
*If I wait until entering the next dungeon to start getting familiar with my power and abilities, and the enemy happens to be a bit stronger, what if I die before I can test my moves and ideas?*
[Mmh, mmh, that's not completely unreasonable—did you think this System would say that?]
[Save it. You and I both know exactly what you're thinking.]
*...What are you trying to say?*
[You're worried about that girl, right? Because of a woman, you're actively running towards the Honkai.]
*You're overthinking it.*
[Tester 233, this kind of behavior would be called OOC in a novel.]
[Looking so cautious and cherishing your life, yet doing something like this at a time like this.]
*Shut up. You're overthinking it.*
[Your mouth is tough, but this System can't be bothered to say more. Considering this trip, your danger factor isn't actually that high... hmm, maybe this surprisingly really is a good training opportunity?]
[Forget it, go do it. Following your heart isn't a bad thing. It's much better than forcefully suppressing your emotions now, only to obsess over today's decision later, potentially turning today into a nightmare.]
*...You really have rich emotions for a system.*
[How should I put it... after all, this isn't the first time this System has seen this situation.]
[However, based on past situations...]
*Reference?*
[This System should start preparing to find Tester 234.]
*Are you cursing me to die???*
[No. Because of this special emotion, Tester, you have undoubtedly become stronger.]
[Although this emotion is a different matter from the will to survive, according to this System's observations, this emotion indeed drives humans to erupt with greater power. But at the same time...]
[This emotion also easily overrides the so-called will to survive. And in this situation, Tester 233, while becoming stronger, you have undoubtedly also become weaker.]
[You will gain greater explosive power because of this emotion, but you will also suppress your survival instinct. Simply put—when people don't place their own lives on a pedestal as the most important thing, it is indeed very likely they'll just die.]
[This System isn't blaming you; after all, this emotion cannot be suppressed. It's just...]
[Whatever, I won't say more. Be careful yourself. After all, this System gets along with you quite well. Compared to finding a new tester, this System prefers continuing to cooperate with you.]
*Well, thanks for the compliment.*
After booking the ticket to Nagazora City, Aaron didn't continue chatting with the System.
Heaving a long sigh, he looked self-deprecatingly at his reflection in the water.
*Truly foolish. To choose to go to Nagazora City because of this boring feeling.*
*What exactly am I thinking.*
*Maybe the current me is exactly as the System said...*
*A little crazy.*
.................
**Several hours later**
On the plane, Aaron closed his eyes, resting his mind for the upcoming action.
Although he felt he might really be crazy, if a sudden situation coincidentally arose, adjusting his mental state now definitely wasn't a bad thing.
The flight from Soukai City to Nagazora City took three hours. His ID included a passport function, so he boarded directly.
Under these circumstances, Aaron, having been on the plane for a while, only needed to wait about 15 more minutes to land at Nagazora City's airport.
But at that moment, Aaron suddenly heard a broadcast inside the plane.
"Ladies and gentlemen, due to special reasons, this flight will make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. Ground crew will inspect luggage. Please do not panic."
*...Damn!*
*No way, is my premonition that accurate now???*
...................