Chapter 50 Part2 (2/2)
”She keeps insisting that she sees her older brother's death. And she's level 8 too.”
Originally, he hadn't intended on bringing Seira along, but due to her insistence, as well as seeing her authority as a Banshee in the previous battle, he caved. Her abilities were really compatible with his own. He would be able to maximize his abilities as a Joker with her around.
”I can help too.”
”Yeah, you would help. But the problem's that you'll be in danger.”
”But you're the one in the most danger.”
”I'll be fine; even if I'm killed, I won't die. Don't you worry, I can get out of any situation.”
He didn't lie unnecessarily. In the end, Kratia sighed at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's boasting and said.
”...s.h.i.+n Woo, you're a precious sample, so you're not allowed to die.”
”I'm glad that you're concerned about me, but could you do something about that t.i.tle...”
He smiled bitterly and softly patted her shoulder. In order to take her mind off of it, he needed to...
”Let's improve the t.i.tan. I'm trusting you. Since I'm taking time out of my practice time with Jin, we have to get somewhere with it.”
”Leave it to me. I'll do it no matter what.”
From that moment on, the two focused on nothing else but fusing the t.i.tan Core and the Demon Heart together. No, it wouldn't be a wrongful a.s.sumption to say that they were trying to use the Demon Heart to fundamentally strengthen the t.i.tan Core.
The t.i.tan was a weapon that amplified Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's abilities, and in order to turn it into a s.h.i.+eld that could protect him, he overlapped all of his abilities and melted them into the darkness. But, in order to transform it into an absolute weapon that turned lies into truth...!
”...Ah.”
”s.h.i.+n Woo?”
”It might work if we limit its potential.”
The t.i.tan was currently infused with the Dark Flame element; divided, that made the fire and darkness elements. And the Demon Heart's overlapping ability definitely originated from the darkness element.
When he first planned out the t.i.tan's improvements, he thought he could use the Demon Heart as a medium to fuse all his elements together, but that was impossible from the very beginning. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo himself didn't wield that many elements together at one time.
”But what would happen if I used darkness as the foundation and then combined all my flames with it? Won't that work?”
”In other words, you're going to add your s.h.i.+ning Flame too? But that's the light element. The reinforcement will become unstable unless you can grasp the fusion element between light and darkness. The reason why elements can't be overlapped is because conflicting elements can't mix very well.”
”Mm...”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought long and hard. It was clear that imparting his flames into the t.i.tan during the creation stage was impossible. Instead, focusing entirely on the fire aspect and maximizing that would increase the t.i.tan's strength much more...
Then, Kratia spoke, as if she'd come up with an idea.
”...s.h.i.+n Woo, how's this?”
”What is it?”
Kratia was struck with inspiration. She drew a large X through their current blueprint and drew the t.i.tan Core and the Demon Heart's mana circuits such that even Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was able to understand it. Then, she began explaining.
”Changing the Demon Heart's properties during the planning phase is impossible. Then what about making two different types of circuits?”
”As expected.”
Depending on the way the Demon Heart was used, the t.i.tan's functionality would change. If that's the case, then Lee s.h.i.+n Woo didn't need to think about it. Kratia saw him nod his head, and she herself nodded and said.
”First, make a simple circuit that goes straight from the Demon Heart to the t.i.tan Core. If you activate this line, then the Demon Heart's defensive capabilities should transfer to the t.i.tan. Let's call this Normal Mode.”
No matter how he looked at it, she really was a genius. He honestly didn't really understand what she was talking about, so he felt like he had become like Jin and just nodded his head. Kratia then created an even more complicated magic formula atop the plan and said.
”If Normal Mode is when the t.i.tan is connected with the Demon Heart, thus reinforcing it, then the next mode is a bit different. You instead connect with the Demon Heart and then that connects with the t.i.tan Core. Let's call this Showdown Mode. We're going to make these two lines and make it so that you can switch between them.”
While the former idea, where the t.i.tan gains the Demon Heart's defensive and magical abilities, was a simple concept (this improvement was always possible), the latter idea was so complex that it could only be derived from Kratia's genius. Since this method would first involve Lee s.h.i.+n Woo pa.s.sing his power through the Demon Heart, thus reinforcing it, and then he would activate the t.i.tan Core after.
”In other words, this mode will allow me to directly control the Demon Heart. You're making it so that I can control the Demon Heart myself and preserve its overlapping ability... And that power will spread throughout the t.i.tan.”
”Yep. Then you just need to use the Demon Heart's overlapping ability to overlap your Dark Flame and s.h.i.+ning Flame. Then, you apply it to the t.i.tan. Because it's a lot more stressful on you, the t.i.tan's safety and durability will decrease, but this is the only way.”
”Sorry to say, but it's too chuuni. ...And ultimately 'overlapping the Dark Flame and s.h.i.+ning Flame' falls to me. Well, I was the one who suggested it, so it's only right that I take on the burden!”
It was quite sudden, but fusing together two conflicting powers was totally like combining items! ...Wouldn't it be possible?
”But there's also something else I've thought of. If you can use the overlapping power properly, then this should be possible too.”
But Kratia didn't stop there. Maybe she'd already thought of the theory and application. She drew the structure of the core, as well as the inside of the t.i.tan itself, causing Lee s.h.i.+n Woo to sport a doubtful expression.
”Hey, this is...?”
”In conclusion, controlling the Dark Flame and s.h.i.+ning Flame so that they can be overlapped by the Demon Heart. There's a way to control them. I don't know what lays beyond that, but...”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo looked at the completed interior design of the t.i.tan and shuddered.
With this, he could definitely...
”That... might be possible.”
That night, they finished upgrading the t.i.tan.
The very next day, the troops from the surface arrived in the Underground Empire.
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