Spark's amiable façade evaporated. His voice dropped. Flat and devoid of warmth. "How long?"
The foreman flinched. his carefully constructed smile shattering. He wiped a greasy hand on his apron.
"A-a month, Milord. At... at least. The lift-drive calibration is complex, demanding specific atmospheric pressure testing only possible at apex height. And the hull plating requires a novel alchemical sealant application... it takes time to cure properly."
He gestured vaguely. At the half-finished structure looming above them. "We cannot rush quality work on a vessel of this complexity, Milord. Not if it's to be truly sky-worthy."
Spark's jaw tightened. A month. He was impatient. Exploration beckoned. Opportunities whispered from the uncharted clouds.
But the foreman was right. He wouldn't compromise quality for speed. A faulty sky ship was a death trap. He had poured immense wealth into this project for a reason. It had to be perfect.
"Quality is non-negotiable." Spark stated. His tone was firm. "But neither is efficiency. Detail the issues. What specific bottlenecks require this extended period? Is it personnel? Materials? Expertise?"
The foreman was relieved by the shift from immediate wrath to pragmatic inquiry. He quickly launched into a detailed explanation.
He spoke of rare earth metals needed for the lift-drive conduits. Specialized alchemists required for the sealant. And the sheer magnitude of the rune weaving for the core systems.
Spark listened. Occasionally interrupting with sharp, pointed questions. Ones that betrayed a surprising understanding of airship construction and applied runes.
He didn't need to understand the theory of every rune. Thanks to his archive. But he knew enough of the practical application. And required resources to spot potential incompetence or excuses.
He spent the next hour on the scaffolding. Moving beneath the vast, skeletal hull. Inspecting partially completed sections.
Finally, Spark stopped beside the foreman. Near a massive, unattached rudder segment.
"Alright. One month. No more." He said. "If there are further delays, the penalties outlined in our contract will be strictly enforced. Ensure material procurement is expedited, regardless of cost. Overtime is authorized. Get it done right, and get it done on time."
"Yes, Milord! Absolutely!" The foreman practically saluted. Sweat beading on his brow.
Spark gave a curt nod. "Report progress weekly. In person."
He left the shipyard. The noise of hammering and magical tools was fading behind him. The salty air tasted of industry and ocean.
He still felt the prickle of annoyance at the delay. But it was tempered by the knowledge that this waiting period could be used for other things. Training. Business. And the next major evolution.
He returned to his estate. Home. A place of security. Built by his parents. Perfected in defense by him. In the form of solid walls. And layers of magical and technological defenses he'd implemented over the years.
The next few days followed a predictable, demanding rhythm. Awaken before dawn. Brutal physical training in the hidden courtyard gymnasium. Followed by his Primal Cultivation Method. Exercising his mind, body, and soul simultaneously.
And then... it was time for practical application training.
In Framepath, he practiced the speed and control of his Fusion Power. In Technomind, he unloaded and reloaded, assembled and disassembled, his gearcores repeatedly. For Soulcraft, he refined his connection to Honey, the now Seven Element Fairy. Visualizing energy streams and practicing arcane coating applications.
Between training sessions, he managed his burgeoning financial empire. Ledgers were reviewed. Investments analyzed. Directives issued to his various agents across the archipelago.
He owned passive shares in great number of ventures. Including shipping companies, mines, trading houses, hotels, restaurants, and even a few technologically advanced workshops producing components for airships and gearcores.
His wealth wasn't merely accumulated. It was actively growing. Expanding his influence silently like a root system beneath the soil. He trusted the numbers, not the people. But the numbers told a clear story of increasing power.
Through it all, Lilith was a constant presence. She handled security. Managed the procurement of materials. And anticipated his needs with chilling efficiency.
Ivy was mostly confined to her lab. She assisted with research and production of high quality potions, poisons, and alchemical items.
Both were valuable. Both were bound as love slaves. Neither was a friend. His severe trust issues remained an un-breachable wall.
Days passed. Until one morning, after consuming a large piece of Wild Red Meat steak, he felt it. A tremor deep within his being. A surge of raw, untamed energy that reached the highest peak. The familiar thrum of the Grim Lion within him felt... complete. Full.
Without looking at his 'Ego Appraisal Grimoire, Spark had already known... His Framepath Monster Fusion reached 100%.
It was time.
He dismissed Lilith. And descended into the deepest level of his estate's protected basement. The hidden Treasury Chamber.
He stopped before a sealed vault set into the stone wall. Inputting a sequence of runes, the metal door hissed open. Revealing a chilled, preserved interior.
Within lay several specimens. Nowhere as big as the Grim Lion. Yet, each was radiating a faint, disturbing aura. Even worse than the lion.
He focused on one in particular. The carcass of a Dragon Ant. It was only as big as a house cat. However, it was s rare, Tier-3 monster. Part insect. Part reptilian terror from the volcanic plains far to the south.
Its segmented body was a horrifying blend of chitin, leathery scales, and demonic horns. Even in death, it exuded a dreadful sense of strength. And primal ferocity.
He had acquired it through... channels. Expensive channels. This was his next step. His next evolution.
He took it out of the vault. Taking a deep breath, he began to shed his clothes. Each garment hit the floor until he stood naked. His powerful muscles were flexing under his tanned skin.
He put his clothes away and closed his eyes. Focusing his internal energy. And then... the familiar transformation began. His muscles swelled. They would have torn the fabric if he hadn't removed it.
Fur erupted across his skin, thick and dark. His bones shifted, cracking and reforming. His face elongated into a predatory muzzle. His teeth were sharpening into fangs. Claws extended from his fingers and toes. The power of the Grim Lion surged, raw and hungry.
He stood. A towering, bestial figure in the dim light of the vault. The Mighty Werelion form. A Tier-1 transformation. But powerful enough to deal with Tier-3 combatants.
Now, for the fusion.
He reached out mentally. Connecting with the core of his Framepath power. The intrinsic ability to absorb and integrate the essence dead monsters. He focused on the Dragon Ant carcass lying before him.
Absorb!
A violet-black energy pulsed. Engulfing the Dragon Ant's lifeless form. The carcass began to shrink. Dissolving into a shimmering, liquid energy that flowed into him. Seeping through the pores of his skin.
It wasn't gentle. It was a violation. A forceful merging of disparate genetics and raw power. The Grim Lion's fierce, leonine essence. His underlying human structure. And now... the alien, ancient power of the Dragon Ant.
Pain hit him like a physical blow. Not the sharp, tearing pain of injury. But a deep, fundamental agony. That vibrated through bone and soul.
It was the agony of conflicting identities warring for dominance within his very being. The predatory instinct of the lion. Clashed with the cold, primordial mind of the ant.
The immense, grounded strength of the Dragon Ant fought against the fluid, adaptable power of the Werelion. His human identity was stuck in the middle.
Scales tried to erupt where fur already lay thick. Mandibles tried to form where fangs rested. And the struggle was not just in external appearance. There was a burning, acidic internal turmoil within his body.
Spark roared. A sound that was part lion's challenge. part guttural human scream. And part alien chittering.
He fell to his knees on the stone floor. sweat and blood mixing on his fur. Every cell felt like it was being ripped apart. And stitched back together incorrectly.
His vision swam. He wanted to lash out. To destroy To tear the source of this agony apart. But the source was... him.
Hours passed in this hell. Time lost meaning. It was just the pain. The struggle. The internal war.
He clung to consciousness by sheer will. Pushing his human mind, soul, and his brute physical strength against the chaotic storm.
He called upon his core self. The dominant, ruthless will that was tempered by betrayal and survival... His mind screaming. 'My body. My power. I will be the Master.'
Slowly. Painstakingly. The conflict began to subside. The violent surges lessened. Replaced by a deep, throbbing ache.
The conflicting essences weren't destroying each other. They were being forced into a grudging, yet stable harmony. His dominant will was forging a new path. Integrating the foreign power rather than letting it annihilate the existing structure.
The pain receded to a bearable level. Gasping, trembling, Spark pushed himself back onto his feet. He looked down at his transformed body in the Treasure Chamber's Mirror.
It was monstrous.
Still predominantly leonine, but enhanced. Thick plates of rocky, dark charcoal scales were embedded in his body. Replacing his black fur, particularly along his chest, shoulders, and outer limbs. It looked like an integrated armor somehow.
A pair of short, curved horns protruded from his brow. Above his muzzle. His mane felt thicker, coarser. Almost like stiff bristles in places. His tail, previously a simple lion's tail, was now segmented. And tipped with a wicked barb.
He was a Draconic Werelion. Bigger. Stronger. And radiating a raw, primal power that dwarfed his previous form. The Grim Lion's ferocity was now coupled with the Dragon Ant's ancient resilience. And elemental resistance.
He flexed a scaled, furry hand, the claws scraping against the stone. This form felt incredibly powerful. Ancient. And terrifyingly efficient.
After a few moments, Spark willed the change to reverse. The process was less agonizing than the fusion. But still uncomfortable.
Fur and mane receded. Scales vanished. Horns dissolved. His bones realigned, shrinking back.
He stood in his human form again. He was visibly different though. Slightly taller than before. Only increasing a few centimeters. And heavier. His build did not change much. But his frame was somehow denser.
His skin had a faintly tougher appearance. And his eyes were now dark grey. They seemed to hold a deeper, more intense glow.
He felt incredibly potent. His muscles were humming with latent power. His senses were obviously sharper.
He was no longer just an Awakened Jackmaster. He was an Enhanced Jackmaster. Tier-2 across all his paths. He had broken through the initial bottleneck.
He reached for the leather-bound book tucked into a hidden pocket of his discarded backpack. The 'Ego Appraisal Grimoire'.
He injected some soulcraft energy on the grimoire's cover. A soft light emanated from the book. He opened it. And symbols shimmered into existence on the blank pages within.
He held it up. Scanning the glowing text.
=====STATUS PANEL=====
[Name: Spark Nighthawk]
[Class: Jackmaster]
[Level: Enhanced (2nd Tier)]
[Soul Power: Fortified Level (3rd Tier)]
[Mind Power: Fortified Level (3rd Tier)]
[Body Power: Fortified Level (3rd Tier)]
[Talent: Primal Soul]
[Talent: Primal Mind]
[Talent: Primal Physique]
[Talent: ???]
[Soulcraft Fairy: Honey]
==[Species: Seven Element Fairy]
==[Level: Enhanced (2nd Tier) (08%)]
==[Growth Item: Maple Syrup]
==[Shared Talent: Instant Casting]
==[Ability: Soulcraft Crest - Arcane Coating]
[Framepath Monsters: Grim Lion, Dragon Ant]
==[Level: Enhanced (2nd Tier) (00%)]
==[Growth Item: Wild Red Meat, Reptile Egg]
==[Acquired Talent: King Disposition, Draconic Bones]
==[Desire Boost: Lust]
==[Ability: Framepath Fusion - Draconic Werelion]
[Technomind Gear: Power Rifle]
==[Types: Gun-Type]
==[Level: Enhanced (2nd Tier) (14%)]
==[Growth Item: Copper Coin]
==[Shared Talent: Clear Mind]
==[Ability: Technomind Form - Sniper Power Rifle]