TRPM 253

chapter 253

Fusion.

The merging of multiple objects into one.

The concept itself isn’t difficult, and it’s a concept famous in various works of fiction… especially in mecha series, where it’s almost indispensable.

“Fusion? You don’t mean you want me and Sarang to fuse together, right?”

Woof?

Haeun immediately understood what I wanted from her upon hearing that.

A fusion with her familiar, Sarang.

“That’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“Why do you think so?”

“Well… because no one has ever succeeded in fusing with their familiar before?”

Haeun tilted her head as she said this. But in other words, that’s the only reason she thought it was impossible.

“There are hardly any people who use familiars in the first place.”

Before I summoned Sarang through Haeun, and Paphnir through Alex, familiars weren’t particularly helpful in battle. At best, they were closer to pets.

As a result, not much research had been conducted on familiars. Naturally, many might have thought about fusing with their familiars, but very few attempted it.

After all, fusing with a relatively weak familiar wouldn’t accomplish much. And since few had tried, it’s no surprise no one had succeeded.

“… I guess that makes sense.”

Come to think of it, both my summoning of Sarang and Alex’s summoning of the dragon…

“It was thanks to you, Geonwoo, wasn’t it?”

Haeun said, recalling the time she had made a contract with Sarang.

“Of course, I’d know more about familiars than either you or Alex-sensei.”
“Of course.”

If asked whether I know more than Alex before regression, I might hesitate—but compared to the current Alex, I confidently know more about familiars.

It’s precisely because of this that I concluded that a human-familiar fusion is possible.

“Familiars are, after all, beings made of magical energy.”

Of course, in Sarang’s case, he’s made of Haeun’s aura. But I didn’t reveal Haeun’s status as both an aura and magic dual-wielder to others, so I said it this way. Haeun would understand.

“Since Sarang is made from your magical energy, it should be possible for you to convert him into magical energy and absorb him into your body, right?”
“Hmm… maybe? I’ve never tried it before.”
“That’s the feeling—it’s about becoming one with Sarang.”
“Hmm….”

Haeun frowned, seeming unsure how to grasp what I meant. She then sat down and looked at Sarang in her arms.

“Sarang, did you hear what Geonwoo said?”
Woof!
“Let’s give it a try.”

As the saying goes, “A single attempt is better than a hundred thoughts.” Instead of pondering whether it’s possible, they decided to just try.

“Hmm…”

It wouldn’t be easy, but this is something I can’t really help with.

I don’t have a familiar.

I can explain things theoretically, but Sarang is clearly Haeun’s familiar. No matter that Sarang initially absorbed some of my cultivation when summoned, Haeun knows better how to operate her familiar.

Of course, I wouldn’t do nothing.

I can at least observe Haeun and Sarang’s connection through Samādhi and give advice.

So I quietly watched Haeun and Sarang for a long while.

How much time had passed? While everyone was doing their training, one person suddenly acted strangely.

“…Guhhh…!”

Yeon Mirae, who had been imagining a virtual opponent and fighting it, suddenly made a strange sound, drawing everyone’s attention. Her face flushed as she avoided their gaze, likely surprised at her own reaction.

“What’s going on?”
“Uh… I’ve at least set the basics, but…”

Yeon Mirae said. It seemed the basic form of swordsmanship to register in the database was complete. But how could she make such a sound while performing it?

“Well… people who use this kind of swordsmanship usually have lower physical abilities, right? Those with stronger bodies would have learned proper sword techniques…”
“Right.”
“So I deliberately used my… no, my aura to put a load on my body, lowering my physical abilities, and then… oops.”
“Ah…”

The others reacted as if they understood.

It’s a famous technique to use your energy to temporarily weaken your body. Stronger individuals use it when sparing weaker opponents or for training. And the feeling when using this technique…

“…Feels like someone’s licking your entire body.”
“Yes! Exactly! That’s the feeling!”

Yeon Mirae nodded vigorously in agreement. The aura passes over every important part of the body to weaken it, causing that sensation. So the strange sound makes sense.

“Setting that aside, you’ve already established the basics of swordsmanship?”
“Yes. Would you like to watch?”

Yeon Mirae assumed a stance and swung her sword. I observed and thought: what kind of monsters is this sword technique suited for?

“…It’s a technique for fighting small monsters like goblins or kobolds.”
“Yes. You got it immediately.”

The sword’s trajectory is mostly low, so it’s obvious. Even those with little knowledge of swords would notice.

“I’ll use this as a base to create techniques specifically for goblins or kobolds.”
“Hmm…”

Indeed, developing techniques from this base for small monsters would be effective. However…

“Excuse me… Yeon Mirae?”
“Mirae-unnie…?”
“Hmm? Why?”

Sophia and Haeun looked at Yeon Mirae practicing swordsmanship, bewildered.

“Did you make this technique by lowering your physical ability?”
“Yes… but is that a problem?”

Many problems, actually.

“Yeon Mirae… your current physical ability is equivalent to a veteran awakened one with over ten years of active experience.”

So this swordsmanship was based on a veteran’s level. An awakened person borrowing sword techniques from the database to fight goblins or kobolds wouldn’t be a veteran.

“…Even with my current exhaustion, I have to lower it further?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“Also, lower the level of the technique. Someone new to swords can’t smoothly redirect the blade or block attacks gracefully.”

Listening to my explanation, Yeon Mirae questioned:

“But if they can’t redirect the sword’s path, how are they supposed to block or deflect attacks?”
“You can’t ask someone holding a sword for the first time to fend off rocks or poison darts coming at them.”

Only aura users who can wield swords well can use such techniques. So what do beginner aura users do against goblins?

“Beginners don’t just carry swords—they also carry shields. You probably didn’t have money for one and were skilled enough to carry only a sword.”
“Ah…”

Typically, beginners block attacks with a shield in one hand while thrusting at vital points with their sword. This approach is stable, even if it doesn’t foster growth, and is often used while other team members like mages or elementals attack from behind.

“So design sword techniques for goblins or kobolds assuming they have a shield in one hand.”
“Yes.”

Taking this into account, Yeon Mirae resumed practicing against her virtual opponent.

“…By the way, Artist-nim.”
“Hm?”
“What kind of swordsmanship do you use?”

Sophia asked, observing Yeon Mirae.

“I don’t use any fixed sword style.”

In martial arts, sword techniques are often divided into types like Quick Sword, Dominance Sword, Phantom Sword, Heavy Sword, Strong Sword, Blunt Sword, etc. But I don’t follow any of that. My style is…

Free swordsmanship.

Sounds impressive, but really, I just swing based on experience. I strike in the most efficient and deadly way for the situation. Others might see it as chaotic or unnaturally fast, but it works.

“I see… makes sense that someone like you wouldn’t be restricted by formal sword styles.”

Having thought the same, Sophia drew her conclusion. Then…

“…”
“?”

Yeon Mirae suddenly stopped mid-motion, as if she had realized something.

“That’s right… being constrained by sword style is odd… with so many enemies, the most efficient technique varies… focusing on just one style is strange…”

With that realization, she lowered her sword and moved it slowly.

“What…?”
“Shh. Everyone, quiet.”

The others were puzzled, but I silenced them, knowing Yeon Mirae had entered a state of selfless focus to consolidate her understanding.

Yeon Mirae is already strong among aura masters, and now she’s gaining insight and getting stronger…

How strong would she become? I watched her sword dance, the beautiful sword flowers of Yeon Mirae—abandoning form and ritual, a culmination of everything she had learned and experienced.

Huh…

I admired it, thinking:

If I fought her purely with sword techniques now… I’d lose.

Though limited to swords, Yeon Mirae in this state had surpassed even me, her teacher.

Snap.
“…Ah.”

Unfortunately, she stepped on a small branch, snapping her out of the state, and the sword lost some of its former beauty and fluidity. Not having fully consolidated her insight, she left the state, disappointed.

“Don’t be too disappointed.”
“…Teacher?”

I patted her head gently.

“Once you gain insight, it doesn’t disappear. Even if you can’t consolidate it now, you’ll have another chance.”
“…Yes.”