Chapter 65: Lightning!
An hour later.
"What did you call me over here for?" Watanabe Musashi asked irritably.
"You're a grown man, why are you so thin-skinned? I didn't even do anything to make you mad, why are you so worked up?" Kael looked at him, amused.
"Hey! You brat, are you asking for a beating?!" Watanabe Musashi glared at him, waving a fist the size of a clay pot.
Kael: "..."
Fine, you have the bigger fist. You win.
"You're no fun. Even Toneri jokes around more than you. Hey! Don't get physical! Or I'll go tell Lord Leader on you! Alright, alright! Back to business. Uncle Watanabe, I asked you here to help me with something."
Watanabe Musashi took a deep breath, raising an eyebrow. "Go on."
Kael didn't speak immediately. He turned, walked out of the room, and shouted at the "zoo" in his courtyard. "Everyone, line up!"
While waiting for his summons to assemble, he turned to Watanabe Musashi, who had followed him out. "Uncle Watanabe, can you release your lightning-nature chakra transformation without hurting me?"
Watanabe Musashi paused, then frowned. "I can suppress the offensive power of the external chakra to its absolute minimum. But you have to understand, lightning-nature chakra is inherently violent. It's the most volatile of the five elements and carries a strong paralytic and electrical effect. Even if I reduce the power to almost nothing, it will still evaporate the moisture from anything it touches, or even fry you to a crisp."
Kael nodded in understanding. After thinking for a moment, he said in a low voice, "Uncle Watanabe, let's try it."
"Alright."
Watanabe Musashi extended his right hand. A crackling ball of lightning formed in his palm. Even from two or three meters away, Kael felt his heart seize with fear.
Watanabe Musashi's understanding of Lightning Style is truly profound. Even while actively suppressing its violent nature, my body is instinctively screaming at me not to touch it...
Although his subconscious urged him to get away, Kael gritted his teeth and moved closer, standing directly in front of Watanabe Musashi. As soon as he was near, even without touching it, he felt a tingling numbness spread over his skin. Gritting his teeth, he slowly extended one hand toward the ball of lightning.
Half a meter away.
The system didn't react, but Kael could already feel the joints in his right hand stiffening and refusing to obey. He clenched his jaw and pushed his hand forward. The numbness slowly turned into a sharp, bone-deep pain that intensified as he got closer, his face twisting into a grimace.
"Kael, don't force it!" Watanabe Musashi barked, his brow furrowed in concern.
Kael just shook his head, his teeth clenched. He forced his hand a little closer, ignoring the pain.
Ten centimeters!
Tendrils of electricity began to arc from the orb toward his hand. The next instant, a current latched onto him. His body began to tremble, but he forced himself to look at the synthesis panel.
This time, the system lit up.
[Material: Lightning-Nature Chakra]
Quality: Blue
"It really is Blue quality!" Kael's face lit up, and he quickly snatched his hand back.
Watanabe Musashi immediately dispersed the chakra, looking at him with worry.
"Hiss!" Kael sucked in a sharp breath. His entire forearm was now completely numb. The first-hand experience with lightning was deeply unpleasant. The intense paralysis made his arm feel like it had been crushed under a rock all night. He didn't dare move that side of his body, afraid he'd lose his balance and fall.
Seeing Watanabe's concerned gaze, he shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a little numb. I'll get used to it. Let's go again in a bit."
Watanabe Musashi frowned but nodded slowly.
Ten minutes later.
"Little Gray, come here!" Kael held out his hand, his teeth still gritted, and called to the first summon in line. A gray blur flashed, and Little Gray dutifully placed its head in his master's palm.
[Lightning-Nature Chakra]+[Little Gray]= ???
[Compatibility]20%
Seeing a compatibility of only 20%, Kael knew there was no point. He immediately looked up at the Wind Eagle.
"Little Wind!"
The Wind Eagle, second in line, lowered its head and gently pressed it against Kael's hand, its eyes filled with a slight apprehension. It was afraid of changing, afraid of becoming something it wasn't.
Kael, however, had no time for its feelings. He grimly looked at the system interface, his eyes scanning it quickly.
[Lightning-Nature Chakra]+[Wind Eagle]= ???
[Compatibility]50%
[Material: Lightning-Nature Chakra, Quality (Blue)]
[Creature: Wind Eagle, Rank (D+)]
[Synthesis Success Rate]105%
Kael's eyes lit up. "Just as I thought! As long as the compatibility is decent, the higher the material quality, the higher the success rate. Over 100%... that means the Wind Eagle's rank will become C after this!"
He was ecstatic but didn't choose to synthesize immediately. He turned to the third in line, the Blazing Ant Queen, which remained motionless. All the other summons turned their heads to look at Kael nervously.
"Woof, woof, woof! —Old-timer, it won't move!" Little Gray whispered.
Kael cursed inwardly. "Then go get it, you idiot!"
"Woof... —I'm a dog, not an idiot..." Little Gray muttered, but it quickly trotted over, gently picked up the Blazing Ant Queen in its mouth, and placed her in Kael's hand.
[Lightning-Nature Chakra]+[Blazing Ant Queen]= ???
[Compatibility]30%
The pale blue lightning continued to crackle, making Kael's expression look even more strained.
"Next!" he barked, gritting his teeth.
His summons were all frightened into silence. Goldie quickly hopped out of line, dutifully placed its chin in Kael's palm, and stared up at him, its big, cute eyes wide with nervousness.
Next, next... it prayed internally. I just want to be a cute, lazy pet for my whole life. I don't want to be synthesized...
[Lightning-Nature Chakra]+[Insight Pup]= ???
[Compatibility]70%
[Material: Lightning-Nature Chakra, Quality (Blue)]
[Creature: Insight Pup, Rank (E+)]
[Synthesis Success Rate]200%
Kael silently gulped. He had never seen a 200% success rate before. That meant, barring any disaster, Goldie would jump two ranks, from E+ straight to a C-rank summon.
The compatibility is good, and the material quality is high... but this incredible success rate must be because Goldie is already E+ and on the verge of evolving on its own. Excellent!
He thought, then looked to the next in line. Goldie, sensing its reprieve, quickly hopped to the side, sighing in relief. Thank goodness, the boss's eyes didn't light up. I must not be suitable for remodeling. I'll still be cute little Goldie...
The rest of the summons were disappointing. The Earth Dragon, Earthen Beetle, Ironclad Hedgehog, and Explosive Flies all had compatibility ratings between 20% and 30%. With such low compatibility, even with a high-quality material, the final success rate was less than 100%, meaning they wouldn't even gain half a rank. They might even die from a failed synthesis.
Kael looked up with a pained expression and nodded at Watanabe Musashi.
Watanabe Musashi froze, his face flushing with embarrassment. But seeing the genuine pain on Kael's face, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
While maintaining the now-unstable lightning chakra in his hand, he stiffly lowered his head and obediently buried his face in Kael's palm.
Watanabe Musashi turned his head to look up at Kael, his old face blushing, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Like this?"
Kael: "???"