Chapter 703: Fused Ability

Translator: CKtalon

Black When it comes to luck, this color signifies theyll face a deadly calamity If the hue isnt dense, could it mean the calamity is potentially fatal but avoidablethat theres a chance of overcoming it? Yes, 111 watch others going forward. 1 might spot dense black. Maybe that implies if the corresponding tributary is selected, a deadly fate is sealed Lumian continued observing Franca and Helas fates, forming a related hypothesis.

Since the tributaries constantly s.h.i.+fted, Lumian couldnt fully grasp a targets future fate. Fie could only catch glimpses of a few possibilities. The black mark let him pinpoint the critical junctures.

This wasnt covered in the mystical knowledge accompanying a Fate Appropriators power. Lumian strongly suspected that once Luck Observation evolved into Fate Observation, it could merge with a Reapers Weakness Investigation to create this unique ability.

It was like exposing a targets physical and spiritual weak pointsthe tributary leading to their demise!

As 1 suspected, the Hunter and Inevitability pathways visual abilities have combined Lumian used the chance to examine Hela and Francas fate rivers, realizing he could perceive fragments of their past and present destinies, similar to when he used Fallen Mercury to discern others fates.

The difference now was that he could see it directly, without extending his spirituality. With the right abilities, he could touch the ethereal river that s.h.i.+mmered with mercury-like ripples, woven from intricate symbols.

Put another way, he could see part of a targets fate without their awareness.

Naturally, compared to touching the corresponding fate river through abilities, there were clear limits to relying on eyesight. Most life scenes in the mercury river were quite hazy in such cases. The nearer to the present, the sharper they became. Likewise, the less they involved high-level matters, the clearer they appeared.

Franca and Helas life scenes presented a vivid, striking contrast in this regard.

Past and present fragments manifesting in Helas fate rivers mercury ripples seemed veiled in fog, while others appeared cloaked in night, making them indiscernible. Only a handful could be perceived. Francas was far clearer. Especially in the last week or two, Lumian could see everything except scenes with high-level ent.i.ties like the Evernight Nation, Madam Judgment, and the Demoness of Black.

During his exploratory observation, Lumian was abruptly startled.

After a few seconds, he looked away, unsettled.

Whats the matter? Franca inquired, curious and concerned. If you prefer not to disclose your specific abilities, thats fine.

Only then did she realize she had been too eager to ask about the Fate Appropriators situation and potential abilities in front of Madame Hela.

Lumian couldnt help swallowing hard. Composing himself, he met Helas gaze.

Theres nothing 1 cant share.

I can no longer just observe luck. I can directly perceive the fate river corresponding to each of you. It ranges from the main course to the tributaries, but most is indistinct. I can only clearly detect it when actively using my fate-hunting ability, and theres a time constraint.

Indeed, among the fate river tributaries I saw, one likely leads to death

Lumian succinctly recounted his initial theory, the hue of his eyes gradually normalizing.

If death isnt inevitable, it should be termed a death calamity, Franca remarked, focusing on the symbolic import of black.

Death calamity?Lumian and Hela turned to Franca, awaiting clarification.

Franca laughed self-consciously.

Simply put, if you navigate a catastrophe, crisis, or incident that could cause death, you might emerge alive.

1 see Lumian considered briefly before saying, Then Ill dub this ability the Eye of Calamityeyes that can perceive death calamities.

The name mattered little to him. Its utility was paramount.

Lumian then absorbed the mystical knowledge that had entered his body along with a Fate Appropriators power.

A Fate Appropriators core actually lay in fate appropriation, split into three abilities.

The first was Fate Appropriation. By touching the targets fate river, he could appropriate and extract the desired fate.

This differed somewhat from Fallen Mercurys abilities. One neednt kill the target to Appropriate their fate, but it required time. The less weighty the corresponding fate, the quicker the process, and vice-versa.

A fate fragments weightiness denoted its significance to the targets overall fate.

Naturally, Lumian could also Appropriate a fragment of the targets fate by slaying them. Moreover, the targets overall fate would be locked without further changes. The time to complete the Appropriation was very brief.

As a Fate Appropriator, Lumian could compress two fate fragments within himself, surpa.s.sing Fallen Mercurys single one.

Usually, there could be three, but Lumian hadnt been a Dancer or acted as an Alms Monk. He hadnt even signed a full set of special contracts. Meaning, during the Inevitability domains initial trio of stages, he had seldom neared the power bestower in daily life. The fusion with the powers was comparatively weak.

Had he not cultivated an Ascetics core spirit, perhaps he could have stored merely one fate fragment.

The second ability was Fate Exchange, where ones accrued fate was traded for a specific fate of the target.

Ideally, the fate fragments weightiness should match. Light for light, heavy for heavy. If not, the exchange would be quite slow, maybe taking five to six minutes.

The fate fragments importance was one facet, while its importance to the individual was another. Together, they would influence the exchange speed. Still, generally, it was swifter than directly Appropriating the corresponding fatebarring Appropriating from a slain target.

Be it Fate Appropriation or Fate Exchange, there were limits barring him from attacking targets until he finished them.

In this respect, it lacked Fallen Mercurys convenience and flexibility.

The third ability was Compelling Fate. It entailed expending an enormous amount of spirituality to directly compel the targets future toward a tributary.

Originally, this ability didnt function this way. It primarily swayed the targets future fate via rituals, curses, and other means. Yet, after fusing with the Reaper trait, it could directly compel fates.

This combination with the Eye of Calamity allowed Lumian to discern certain possibilities.

Naturally, after careful a.s.sessment, he deduced his dual spirituality as a Reaper and Fate Appropriator could only permit two compulsions.

A Fate Appropriators core abilities are the deepening and streamlining of the Luck Transference Spell Lumian gave an overall appraisal.

Upon becoming a Fate Appropriator, the ceiling of contracts he could withstand as a Contractee had hit twelve. The endurance stemming from being an Ascetic had also risen markedly.

This spurred Lumian to mull signing two to three more contractual abilities down the line to diversify his combat style and bolster his related trump cards.

However, he wouldnt truly sign all twelve, not even ten. That would surpa.s.s an Ascetics endurance. Lumian had no wish to become a pseudo-inferior Beyonder like Padre Guillaume Benet, whose weaknesses could be readily grasped and actions predicted.

Another notable s.h.i.+ft in an Ascetic was the acc.u.mulation of external fate fragments. It had genuinely become a vital component of a Fate Appropriator. As for rituals such as the Animal Creation Spell, they could be streamlined. For instance, Lumian previously had to drape the target with a ritual sheepskin to transform them into sheep by chanting the incantation. Now, he could use a more symbolic sheepskin to cover the other party to meet the prerequisite.

His flexibility as a Dancer had also grown. Lumian could now perform horrific and incredible actions. If ordinary folk merely glimpsed the corresponding shadows he cast, they would deem him a monster.

Furthermore, Lumians spirituality had climbed substantially. The most basic yardstick was that he could employ up to 17 Spirit World Traversals.

Nonetheless, both a Fate Appropriator and a Reaper had scant impact on his physical prowess.

After verifying his transformation, Lumian thanked Madame Hela and asked when the next Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society meeting would be before returning to the real world with Franca.

Having returned The Fools gold coin to Jenna, Lumian briefly outlined a Fate Appropriators abilities and stated,

Given my ability to directly perceive some fate fragments, ill settle on the concrete plan after observing Moran Avigny up close.

Okay. Franca thoroughly endorsed any step that could lessen the risk.

Lumian rose and said to Franca and Jenna,

Ill head out first then. Dont forget to help me inquire at your mysticism gatherings if theres the Harvest Priest potion formula and the matching Beyonder ingredients.

Got it. Seeing Lumian off, Franca turned to Jenna, puzzled. Why is he acting a bit odd? Doesnt he usually rile people up and quip before leaving?

Jenna also found this atypical and sank into deep thought.

Abruptly, her expression changed.

Jenna glanced down at the book in her hand, saying pensively, Perhaps he just received the boons power and isnt in a stable state. He needs to hurry back and rest.

Franca nodded, understanding. Fair point.

She didnt linger on it or bother to. The night was lovely, and she couldnt squander it on such trivial matters.

Avenue du Boulevard, outside the Champs-Elysees Rose Conference Room.

Numerous reporters stood before the hotels signature indoor golden fountain, awaiting the arrival of Minister of Industry Moran Avigny, who had finished negotiations with the Loen Kingdoms delegation.

Lumian had switched into a pre-prepared black tweed coat and half top hat. He held a rented, new black-and-white camera without a tripod. With his unremarkable, pa.s.serby-like appearance, he mingled with these individuals as a fake reporter..