"Where are we going?"
I asked Yumiko who's flying in front of me while I'm riding some sort of carriage which was powered by Spirit Energy, following behind her.
Who else would think of this? Of course, the idea of building this type of carriage came from Yumiko. That girl is an innovator. She couldn't build it but she could give them ideas. Maybe that's her way of thanking Harlan. To realize this type of carriage, even the World of Systems wasn't this developed.
I observed Yumiko as she flew in front of the carriage. On her back was a pair of wings that looked like it sprouted from it. However, if one looked at her wings carefully, one could see that it's made from dense clumps of Spirit Energy. Just like how the Halos, Crowns and Pillars' real form are just dense clumps of Brute Energy. That wing was one of the features she had upon becoming a Transformed Spirit.
It looks like an Angel Wing but the color of its feathers is the same as her hair, brown.
"We have to stop by somewhere and pick up another helper."
She answered with a smile as if looking forward to meeting a friend she hasn't met for years. Well, she also has some kind of party members who joined her on her quest.
As to why she's flying when she could just ride the carriage with me?
I asked to see how the Transformed Spirit looked like and she proudly showed it to me. Those wings partnered with her white and red Shrine Maiden Outfit, she only needed a Halo on top of her head and she'll be mistaken to be some kind of Angel or even a Deity.
When the morning arrived, I met Yumiko in that same spacious hall, she immediately noticed the change in me but she didn't voice it out, since I was already vouched for by both Yuko and Raiden, Yumiko trusted me as a friend. Me becoming stronger is something she will welcome in open arms.
Harlan was back from where he went yesterday, after giving Yumiko some sort of scroll which contained the information about the Fortress where the breach appeared, he departed once again.
The Council of Twenty will be convened again since Yumiko, the Priestess, was back here in this world. Her existence is something the Council couldn't ignore even if they wanted to so they always decide what to do to her whenever she comes back from Earth.
They all knew that whenever she's here, an incident big enough will happen. Either a huge battle or the Spirit King leaving his den to pursue her again, leaving some sort of disaster in his wake.
So to ease their mind, Yumiko told me to set off immediately. We could enjoy the hot spring later after we're done with our quest.
Currently, we're travelling on a dirt road which leads to another city within the Spiritas Federation. The Fortress which we have to take down was near the said city so she had her companions to wait for her there. They're all Transformed Spirits so I'm probably still the weakest being only a Natal Spirit. That is if they don't count my other cultivation paths.
"Yuko will probably love to see this Spiritual Twin of yours, Daisuke-kun."
Yumiko commented when she went back to the carriage. She stared at my materialized Spiritual Twin, it's like a guard looking out for any possible enemies as it stares at our rear.
I could actually share its vision to see what registered in its eyes so I let it stay in that position.
"I already took a picture and I'll show it to her when we get back. I might fuse with it soon but for now, I'll assume the role of a Natal Spirit tagging along with you."
My encounter with the World's Will last night made me rethink of my current plans in Spirit Cultivation. It might be useful for me if I could rush it to the next stage but if that will make me deemed as a threat by the World's Will then there's no point doing that.
Maybe I also have to stop at the 2nd stage. Even with that, I guess I will probably have considerable growth. Leveling up my system and my Adaptability will be my focus.
Same with the Brute Energy, I managed to create a new skill through turning the Spirit Energy into a pure ball of it, Spirit Boost. It somehow has the same effect as Physique Boost but what it refreshes is not really the Physical exhaustion but the toughness of one's body, to endure the pain. So by using it side by side I guess one it will become something like a mini-Enhancement.
I don't have an unlimited supply of Brute Energy anymore so using the Orb of Enhancement recklessly isn't plausible anymore. Just using it on the both of us is the limit. Ah, we can also include her party members.
After an hour, the dirt road led us to another bustling city. It's not as prominent as the Edo City which screams Japanese but you could still see the traces of it here. There were ramen stalls and other street stalls you won't normally see in another world.
And upon seeing Yumiko, the Spirit Race living here all have the same reaction as those from Edo City.
"Yumiko!"
A small graceful voice exclaimed from somewhere, calling out to Yumiko.
Because of how unique it was, I couldn't help but turn to the direction where it came from.
From the side, a crowd of Spirit Race parted to let a lady in an elegant dress pass by them. She's sporting a green shoulder-length hair that was adorned by a hair clip to show her forehead. She's a bit small but what she's carrying on her chest was bigger than Yumiko.
Eh? Why did I notice that of all things?
Err, because that's her most striking part. She clumsily runs towards our carriage which was already being crowded by people, reveling at the Priestess.
"Jayna!"
Upon seeing the girl, Yumiko also exclaimed as she flew towards the girl.
It seems she's the friend we were supposed to meet here.
Just from how the crowd parted to let her pass, looks like her identity isn't that simple.
"We were about to go to your place. Uncle Harlan told me to take you with us. But it looks like there's something happening, the city was this bustling."
Yumiko asked the excited girl she called Jayna. They hugged each other as if they haven't seen each other for a long time.
"It's my father. He announced a competition among Natal Spirits and Fused Spirits"
Jayna pouted as she answered Yumiko.
"Hmm? What kind of competition?"
"He wants me to search for a potential spirit-pair."
Jayna grumbled. She said it in a low voice to not be heard by the other Spirit Race around us.
"Spirit-pair? You're still young for it, right?"
Yumiko's eyes then traveled down to Jayna's bulging chest that was not a trait of a young one. She unconsciously compared hers and determined how she lost by gulping down her own saliva.
Since my attention was on them, that didn't escape my notice. This Yumiko, she can be playful as well.
"Well, it's because of you, Yumiko."
Then she explained how her father predicted that Yumiko will once again take his daughter on a dangerous mission. So upon hearing the news of her arrival in this world, he immediately set up a competition to look for potential spirit-pair for her. Ah. Spirit-pair is what they called their couples here.
But for him to choose from a lower-tier when his daughter is already a Transformed Spirit, what is he thinking?
"He wanted to mentor the winner by himself so he could grow to be perfect for me."
Ah. A doting father but to decide it on a whim, it's not good, right?
"There's no mention about becoming your spirit-pair here."
Yumiko said, on her hand was a flyer which she picked up from the ground. It announces the competition that will be held tomorrow but the Prize for winning it is his tutelage as well as an Unidentified Stone or rather…
An orb, there's no mistaking it when I already have two… The third one! To encounter it again this early. It looks like I will always be drawn to it.
"Of course! I rejected his idea at once! So he changed it but he took my Stone instead."
Jayna exclaimed.
So there's no more spirit-pair reward, right? But that stone or rather that Orb belongs to her? So, is she the main character of this world? And how strong is her father, really? Is he among the Council of Twenty?
"Ah. That convenient stone you always use to prank someone."
Yumiko also knew about that stone, but they don't know the real use for it. Using it for a prank? I wonder what kind of Orb was it.
"Yes! That stone! Now I couldn't enjoy pranking someone anymore."
Yumiko spent a few minutes to calm her down before she asked her to ride with us to go to their place.
The upset Jayna then followed us to our carriage.
Only then did she notice me.
"Ah. I forgot to introduce you two. Daisuke-kun, this is Jayna, a Noble Spirit's daughter. Jayna, this is Daisuke. A companion of mine. He came from the same world as me."
At first, Jayna didn't have much of a reaction when Yumiko introduced her to me but when Yumiko mentioned about me being from the same world as her, Jayna's eyes lit up and sparkled as if she found something that took her interest.
"Really?! I thought only you can go here. Can he also call upon higher Spirits?"
Jayna turned to Yumiko and asked the same question as the elderly Spirit Race we first met in that shrine.
They're all fascinated about Yumiko's ability but sadly I don't have it.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com