WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
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◈ Copy Skills with Affinity! ◈
Chapter 11: Spiritual Power
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-Quest Info
▶ The events listed here will incur severe penalties if you fail!
◈ Fake Marriage
- You have been chosen as Lady Noel's spouse. Maintain your contract with her to the very end!
◈ Act One, < Imperial Capital Rift >
- Your contact with key figures in the scenario is increasing to a sufficient degree.
- You will soon be formally incorporated into the scenario. The course of the scenario will be decided by your actions!
- A related event will occur soon. (D-2)
-
It was still a nauseating window to read every time it appeared.
Aiden scanned the lines with a gloomy expression.
That feeling was especially intensified by the final window.
◈ Life Is Beautiful
- Katia Heinkel Craven desperately wants something from you. Help the target experience “sensation” as fully as possible!
- A related event will occur soon. (D-2)
...Well.
Strictly speaking, Aiden had done it deliberately to catch Katia's interest in the first place. Still, seeing it actually registered in the quest window felt strange.
‘It was supposed to be a side quest...’
Relatively less important matters seemed to appear separately as side quests, while only those with a major influence on the main scenario were registered in this quest window.
It had started as a side quest, so why was it here now?
As if it were hinting that Aiden would be meeting Katia often from now on.
‘Though I did arrange to see her next time.’
Aiden had personally summoned Katia for two days from now, promising to teach her how to feel pain.
Normally, Aiden would never do something like that. Especially considering what it would take to make Katia feel pain.
In theory, it was possible if Aiden could land a blow stronger than all the divine power Katia could release.
Easy to say.
‘She can't die even if she wants to, even with her power suppressed as much as possible.’
Aiden sighed inwardly.
How could anyone do that to someone born with enough divine power that she could not die even if she wanted to?
No one nearby came to mind who could pull it off, Noel included.
If the two fought, it would be a close match, but in terms of sheer output, they were probably on about the same level. Overwhelming Katia would be difficult.
Making Katia feel something after breaking through all that divine power was nearly impossible.
And if even Noel couldn't do it, nobody could.
That is, except for one person.
‘The protagonist.’
In the end, everything led back to that person.
The “savior” who had to be somewhere out there.
Any grand description would suit them, but that was the most representative title.
The center of this entire world, who would ultimately save it from the forces of darkness that would cover the whole continent.
Humanity's savior. The world's guardian. Evil's opposite.
That person would surely be able to give Katia what she wanted.
The reason Aiden had asked Katia to meet was to drag her into the event two days from now, when the protagonist would appear. Once Katia saw someone like that, she would quickly lose interest in Aiden.
‘...Though I can't be sure.’
There was still no guarantee that the protagonist truly existed.
Even so, without that protagonist, this world was headed for ruin. The story could not move forward unless Aiden assumed they existed.
The protagonist had to exist.
They had to.
‘But that's separate.’
The immediate practical problem was that Aiden had to be present where the main scenario unfolded.
At a scene where blood would surely be spilled and violence would fly.
To saddle the protagonist with either Noel or Katia, Aiden would have to take action.
That meant some means of self-defense was essential.
“Hmm...”
Aiden examined the gun from the gun shop.
A classic revolver. Pull the trigger, and the firing pin strikes the cartridge to fire it.
Aiden checked the surroundings. Once certain nobody was nearby, Aiden brought out his abilities.
After all, Aiden had taken the Emperor's and Dunadan's warnings about secrecy very seriously.
Aiden was still not used to handling them, but could at least bring out his abilities without much trouble now.
Ki first, then divine power.
White mist and colorless flames began to rise around Aiden's body.
The first drifted calmly through the air, while the divine power coiled in the air, flicking its tongues of flame as if grateful to have been summoned.
Like a puppy seeing its owner after a long time...
‘...It almost seems self-aware.’
Aiden let out a quiet laugh.
At least it seemed likely to listen for now.
Aiden tried imbuing one ability into each of the gun's components. Having watched Noel do it before, Aiden could imitate it.
-System Message
▶ Imbuing abilities into the “Revolver.”
▶ “Heart of Pure White” and “First Vow” will not combine, and will instead be imbued into separate components.
The first, ki, settled into the trigger.
The second, divine power, settled into the firing pin.
‘It... worked.’
As the abilities wrapped around the components like a coating, faint ki and divine power could be seen on their surfaces.
It did not look difficult at all, but an odd window immediately appeared before Aiden.
-System Message
▶ The presence of the unique skill “Omnipotence” has been detected.
▶ Your own unique trait will be applied during the “Ability Imbuement” process.
▶ The power will increase, but conditions will be imposed!
-System Message
▶ A total of 3 abilities are required to use the target weapon as a medium for the “Omnipotence” skill.
▶ 2 abilities have currently been imbued.
▶ It cannot display its full power!
Aiden frowned slightly.
The last line was impossible to ignore.
‘...Was that always there?’
Aiden had never seen anyone in the game with the Omnipotence skill, so there was no way to check.
A headache throbbed in Aiden's head, and Aiden clutched his forehead.
Imbuing a weapon with abilities was practically the foundation of combat. Noel had not taught Aiden every detail for no reason.
So why did Aiden alone have all these extra conditions that others did not?
‘Still...’
Honestly, there was no way to know how strong its “full power” was. Yet, considering the Omnipotence skill Aiden had seen before, it probably would not be lacking.
Even so.
If Aiden accounted for every possibility, choosing the safest option was right.
‘I can't use anything besides a gun...’
It made no sense to start mastering weapon techniques for an event only two days away.
The answer was probably close at hand.
Aiden tapped his chin and thought.
The abilities Aiden possessed were ki, divine power...
-Skill Info
◈ Weaver of Fate
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.
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『 Dunadan U’zal 』
- Bond: Level 1
< Copied Skills >
◆ Generic Ability: Spiritual Power
An ability bestowed by Urgan, God of the Supreme Vehicle. It can be used by imposing a constraint upon yourself.
...There was this as well.
That made exactly three abilities, the number needed to display its full power.
The problem was that Aiden did not even know how to use this one.
‘Then I should ask someone who does.’
Fortunately, there was someone nearby who could answer that question.
▣
It was common knowledge that anyone seeking Dunadan U’zal, the Dragon Slayer, only had to go to the training hall.
A high official from a nation that worshipped the God of the Supreme Vehicle and valued martial virtues was bound to be addicted to training.
That was surely true even while Dunadan stayed in the Empire for the exchange event. In fact, Aiden spotted Dunadan the moment he stepped inside.
If someone had claimed the vast indoor space for themself and was pushing a house-sized hunk of metal with their bare body, well. Anyone would notice.
“...”
Aiden narrowed his eyes at the several-ton mass of metal scraping across the floor.
‘...Is he even human?’
The thought Aiden had once before returned.
Even more frightening was that someone with this much strength was not even a lead player in the main scenario.
That meant people like Noel and Katia, whom Aiden was becoming entangled with, were even greater monsters...
“A familiar face. Did you come here to train?”
Dunadan seemed to have noticed Aiden and stopped exercising to turn around.
The sight of muscles rippling as if they could deflect blades and spears was intensely intimidating.
“...I've come to ask for instruction.”
Aiden calmed his instinctively shrinking body and spoke.
No matter how frightening Dunadan looked, Aiden still had to do what was necessary.
“Instruction? From me?”
Dunadan tilted his head in puzzlement, and Aiden swallowed before continuing.
“I want to learn how to use Spiritual Power.”
A fierce smile appeared on Dunadan's face as soon as he heard that.
“You already command Pure White ki and royal divine power. Yet you want to handle another ability? You're quite greedy.”
Despite those words, Dunadan's eyes were scanning Aiden with interest.
“Is there a special reason?”
“...Pardon?”
“Why are you so eager to devote yourself to training? Even the talent you already possess is more than most could ever hope for.”
“...”
That was true from a normal perspective.
‘But if it involves the main scenario, I never know what might happen...’
...Aiden did not want to die.
No amount of protection was enough against a threat to Aiden's life on the scale of a world-spanning main scenario.
More than anything, Aiden wanted to return to his family and live an ordinary life.
Still.
It would be better to offer a reasonable excuse here. There was no need to invite trouble.
“...There's someone I want to impress.”
“...”
“Shouldn't I become a better person?”
Anyone hearing that from someone clearly in a newlywed relationship would think of Lady Noel. It could even reach Noel's ears.
If that happened, perhaps Noel's favor toward Aiden might rise. That intention was in there too, to some extent.
‘...What nonsense.’
It was a ridiculous thought, and Aiden chuckled inwardly.
Even if Noel heard it, Noel would most likely give it no particular weight and simply move on.
The basis of their relationship was a contract marriage. Noel would not take those words seriously.
More than anything, the gap between them made it even less likely.
They had found several points of contact, but Aiden was ultimately an ordinary person one could find anywhere, while Noel was someone who could leave a mark on history.
There was no way someone like that would take Aiden's goodwill seriously.
“Then I'll help you get started. It's not difficult.”
Aiden's words were not wrong, so Dunadan seemed to accept them with a grin.
“Do you know the basic concept behind Spiritual Power?”
“Roughly.”
Spiritual Power had rather unusual traits.
Urgan, God of the Supreme Vehicle, had lifted the restrictions on Spiritual Power not only for their own people, but for everyone else as well.
Handling several abilities was certainly not an ordinary talent, but the concept itself was not particularly rare because of Spiritual Power.
Spiritual Power had the easiest requirements for simply manifesting an ability. Even people outside the Plains Coalition could manifest it immediately if they made the proper vow of constraint.
However.
“When you're starting out, you obviously won't be able to do what I can. An ordinary person needs a full ten years of effort just to reach apprentice warrior level.”
“...Ten years just to become an apprentice?”
“Ten years to become an apprentice.”
Manifestation was one thing, but the difficulty of mastering it was beyond imagination.
It was better than ki, which one could not even begin training without talent, or divine power, whose manifestation was given only to limited people. Yet the sheer difficulty of using Spiritual Power was so extreme that few could use it.
Opportunity was equal.
But it was thoroughly based on ability.
That was likely a trait fitting for Urgan, a god who pursued advancement.
“Well, shall we try it now?”
As he spoke, Dunadan reverently wrapped a rosary around his hand.
It was Urgan's sacred object, used to offer prayers to them.
“O jewel. O lotus. Shine forth.”
In response to the mantra offered to Urgan, a bright light settled into the rosary. Aiden had seen it once before.
Then Spiritual Power surged around Dunadan's body.
Ki manifested as mist, and divine power as flames. Spiritual Power was a mass of light that radiated brilliance and surrounded the area.
The sight resembled hundreds, thousands of dazzling fireflies flying in every direction. Aiden found himself staring with his mouth slightly open.
“Using Spiritual Power itself is simple. Within the flow of these moving energies...”
As he spoke, several of the lights flying nearby began to gather together and take on a clear shape.
Dunadan seemed to catch the exact moment when the wildly moving lights collided, gathering them together.
A round circle. A sphere of light made from condensed motes.
“You begin by gathering it into a Core you can use, like this. It is the measure of a Spiritual Power user's skill. How many Cores they can form from their Spiritual Power.”
As Aiden listened, his expression grew steadily darker.
The difficulty of handling it was obvious just from looking.
Aiden answered blankly while watching the lights move around Dunadan.
Following only one or two paths was enough to make Aiden's eyes and head hurt, yet there were hundreds, thousands of them.
To make a Core by accurately catching the moment they gathered, one would need extraordinary reflexes and intuition. That much was clear at a glance.
“If ki is the process of filtering impurities from your body, and divine power is like taming an unruly horse, then Spiritual Power is often described as ‘attuning’ to it. Do you understand what that means?”
“...Roughly.”
To use this adeptly in time with its movements, one would need to derive every route and possibility, every variable and vector, every branching outcome, then observe how it moved...
‘I can't do that...!’
It was not merely impossible for Aiden. It was impossible for most people.
That was likely why Spiritual Power was described as something one attuned to. Rather than calculating it, one had to follow its movements by feel.
“Would you like to try?”
“Try what?”
“You seem like someone who has never placed a constraint on yourself. I'll transfer some of my Spiritual Power to you, so try gathering it into a Core.”
“...You can transfer it?”
“Normally, no. But when it comes to output and control of Spiritual Power itself, I rank among the top five in the entire Great Plains.”
That explained why Dunadan's lights had so overwhelmingly outnumbered those of the warriors Aiden had seen before.
The constraint Dunadan had imposed on himself must have been exceptionally severe...
“Then give it a try.”
With those words, an unfamiliar energy flowed into Aiden's body.
It was far less than Dunadan's, but dazzling motes of light still surged around Aiden.
“...”
Aiden blinked and looked around.
‘Can this really be learned...?’
The first hurdle was already too difficult.
Dunadan had said to form a Core when the lights came together, but it felt like trying to grab an intangible illusion with bare hands. Aiden could not possibly keep up...
▶ Confirming the operation of “Spiritual Power.”
▶ Confirming that an additional ability has been unlocked.
▶ [ Skill: Omnipotence ] has increased in level.
▶ An additional effect has been added to the skill.
Then, as that thought crossed Aiden's mind, a window suddenly appeared before him.
< Skill Info >
Omnipotence [ Level 2 ]
- You can combine two or more abilities to produce effects stronger than before.
- You can see through the source of abilities, making mastery and exploration easier.
▶ Combinations currently discovered
〓 Guardian's Flame (Heart of Pure White ↔ First Vow)
※ As the skill level rises, the number of abilities you can combine will increase, and additional effects will be gained.
※ Increase the number of abilities you can handle to raise the skill level!
“...?”
Aiden stared at the window that had abruptly appeared.
Come to think of it, Aiden had heard that the skill's level rose when the number of abilities he could handle increased.
But could an ability someone else had placed in him count too?
“...”
Then.
Aiden blankly looked around.
The moment the window appeared, Aiden immediately felt that something had clearly changed from before.
‘...Huh?’
Something was visible.
Among the lights that had been moving wildly and at random until just moments ago, there was a kind of pattern.
Clearly.
As though it could be grasped in Aiden's hand.
“Don't get too eager.”
Apparently taking Aiden's silent glances around the room for confusion at the lights' movements, Dunadan crossed his arms and spoke with a gentle smile.
“Even I, who was called the tribe's greatest talent, took a year to form my first Core and advance to apprentice warrior. For now, you only need to get used to the movements somehow...”
His sentence cut off.
It was likely because he noticed a fist-sized sphere of light appear beside Aiden.
Not even five seconds had passed since the lights first appeared.
“...”
Dunadan's face went rigid.
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