Supreme Magus

Chapter 4072: Too Perfect (Part 1)

’What do you mean, too perfect?’ Morok asked.

’To put it simply, Ajatar found the right method but implemented it too quickly.’ Solus replied. ’Even with the Infirmary and all the nutrients, his body has yet to adapt to its current development. It’s like he tried to run with a broken leg.

’He didn’t give his bones, muscles, and organs the time they needed to consolidate their strength.’

’That’s why it took Ufyl and the rest of Thrud’s Divine Beasts a month to complete their evolution.’ Faluel said. ’It wasn’t because the Ambrosia needed time to identify and trigger the correct sequence of mana organs.

’It’s reasonable to assume that was the minimum amount of time necessary to complete the transformation safely. Dammit, we underestimated Thrud’s Forbidden Magic!’

’Big time.’ Ajatar coughed. ’Especially if you consider that the Ambrosia also fixed the imperfections in the life forces of her Generals as well.’

’Stop blowing smoke up Thrud’s rotting ass, old lizard!’ Morok said. ’Put that big brain of yours to finding a solution! Babe?’

’I’m thinking.’ Quylla replied.

’Same here.’ Ajatar focused on healing his wounds before the next wave of agony hit him. ’And there it is. The pain has increased again and is here to stay. I’m afraid it will only get worse until I blow up.’

’Fyrwal, Mom!’ Solus yelled. ’Do something.’

’We can’t slow or stop the process.’ Menadion thought. ’Can we help Ajatar by strengthening his body with Life Maelstrom?’

’Not an option.’ Fyrwal put her seven heads together on the problem. ’Even if I give him a body-enhancing bolt, nothing would happen. Both his physical body and the violence of the changes in his life force that are tearing him apart would grow stronger.’

’Indeed.’ Another sudden twist of bones and muscles brought Ajatar to double over in the gene-tank. ’It’s like trying to stop a breakthrough after it started, except I don’t have impurities to protect me, and the conflict isn’t between mana core and body.

’It’s between my life force that strives forward and my body that tries to resist the process. There is no solution unless-’ Ajatar activated darkness fusion to lower the pain just enough to be able to think.

’Everybody, shut up! I need to focus.’ He cut off all the mind-links and examined the Infirmary’s readings from right before his life force became unstable until the last pang.

He checked for early indicators, the fluctuations in his vitals during and after the fits, and their duration. Ajatar was still in the middle of double-checking his math when a subtle drop in his blood pressure announced the next change in his body.

’Don’t let me down, brain. If not for me, do it for the Dragon Eyes. You don’t want to lose them, right?’ He inwardly prayed as he let his consciousness and body go.

Right before his life force shifted again, Ajatar relaxed every fiber of his being not to oppose the transformation and disappeared in a burst of emerald light.

Spirit Fusion converted his body into a mass of pure mana and back in a split second, so that when his flesh reformed, the life force rearranged it without putting more strain on the quasi-Dragon.

Ajatar’s body was fluid in its energy form. The subtle alterations caused by the shift in the life force met no resistance as Spirit Fusion reconnected the countless microscopic terminations needed to assemble the quasi-Dragon.

Ajatar gasped, his form still afloat in the crystal tank. He was still in pain, but now it was bearable even without darkness fusion, and his vitals were more stable. Everyone stared at him in confusion, but he had no time to answer the questions he could read on their face.

He was too busy reading the latest data and extrapolating the exact timing of the next step in his evolutionary process.

’Fuck Dragon Eyes! Why can’t they do math? I need Math Vision or something!’ Ajatar thought in frustration as he spotted an earlier pattern in his vitals and used it to predict how long his current condition would remain stable.

A smaller, but noticeable drop in his pressure cut his lamentations short. He phased in and out of Spirit Fusion, once again riding the tide of change without letting it tear him to shreds.

As the displacement caused waves inside the crystal tank, the main screen agreed with his body. The pain had gone down again, and so had the spikes in his vitals.

’This is good. Now, where’s the data?’ He scrambled between columns of numbers, finding the answer moments before it was too late.

Another wave arrived, and he let it through again. The pain was almost gone and his vitals normal.

’One more and then stop, please. I’m at my wits’ end.’ Ajatar got his wish.

After his life force shifted and Spirit Fusion rearranged his body one more time, everything went back to normal. Strength replaced pain, and his mind became clearer than ever. He felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do.

’I’m not coming out of here for at least half a day.’ Ajatar trusted feelings like he trusted coin flips. ’Feel free to ask me questions, but know that I’m going to cut you off if something else happens.’

’What did you just do?’ Faluel asked.

’I survived.’ Ajatar replied with a smug grin. Noticing that no one laughed, he added: ’My life force was twisting my body out of shape, so I removed the built-up tension with Spirit Fusion.’

He then explained his method to them and how, at each shift, he had allowed his body to adapt to the evolution without breaking.

’Interesting.’ Fyrwal pondered. ’This Spirit Fusion bloodline ability you used has unlimited potential. Why have I never heard about it before? Is it something only you can do? It would explain your exceptional skills.’

’No, it’s no bloodline ability.’ Ajatar the Sapphire Dragon shook his head. ’It’s a family technique we Drakes have inherited from Grandfather and kept secret from others unless absolutely necessary. Just like you Hydras do with Domination.’

’You told him about Domination?’ Fyrwal’s neck whipped towards Faluel at those words. Then, when she noticed the room full of people and no one asking questions, she added: ’You told everyone?’

Fyrwal glared at her daughter like she had stolen one of her favorite treasures from her hoard.

’Yes and no, Mom.’ Faluel swallowed hard. ’I taught Lith, Tista, and Morok about it because they share our power, and I couldn’t risk them exposing it to the world. Later, I also taught Domination to Friya because she was my Harbinger-to-be.

’The others, Ajatar included, just know Domination by name and have guessed its effects by seeing its applications.’ Then, she looked at her disciples. ’Ot at least that’s all they should know.’

’Don’t worry, Morok never explained anything to me.’ Quylla shrugged.

’Nor did Lith.’ Kamila replied.

’Great!’ Faluel noticed her mother relaxing and sighed in relief. ’Yours is a brilliant solution, Ajatar. How did you know Spirit Fusion would have worked?’

’I didn’t.’ The Sapphire Dragon replied, making everyone’s eyes go wide. ’There was no time for deep reasoning. I was clutching at straws there and hoped that Grandfather Leegaain had seen this far ahead when he entrusted Spirit Fusion to the Drakes.’