"Extract!" Yohan commanded.
Gained:
[Wind Affinity] x 5
[Wind Claw] x 3
[Gust] x 1
[Wind Blade] x 1
[Wind Energy Pack (Iron)] x 1
[Wind Energy Pack (Bronze)] x 1
[Memory Fragments] x 1
"A Wind Blade skill," Yohan thought, "It must be from that bronze-level monkey. Thank God I killed him first. If he fought alongside those three Iron-level Tempest Monkeys, they could have easily worn me down and killed me."
He pondered for a moment.
"But my core is of metal attribute, so I can't inscribe this skill. What should I do with it?"
Yohan glanced at Bai, who was beside him.
"What happens if I absorb the skill while in sync with Bai? Can Bai learn the skill then?" he wondered.
"We should try it. But first, let's check the memory. Maybe I'll get something useful."
"Merge memory," he said, and the memories of the Tempest Monkeys' leader began to flow into his mind. He saw everything from the leader's birth, separation from his old family, and the formation of his own group.
In one scene, the Tempest Monkey went behind the waterfall to revealing a hidden cave entrance obscured by the cascading water.
As the monkey ventured deeper, Yohan could see the cave's interior, illuminated by a soft, ethereal glow emanating from clusters of luminescent crystals embedded in the rocky walls the cave was expansive, its ceiling arching high above and adorned with stalactites dripping water into the pool below. In the middle of the pool stood a big tree bearing fruits. The monkey picked a fruit from the tree and ate it.
"So there really is an elemental fruit tree here," Yohan thought excitedly.
Yohan picked up Bai in his arms and headed towards the cave. The roar of the waterfall filled his ears, but as soon as he stepped inside, the sound vanished, leaving an eerie silence. Tension gripped Yohan as the sudden quietness enveloped him, but seeing Bai still calmly asleep in his arms reassured him that there was no immediate danger.
He cautiously moved towards the pond, the only sound being the occasional drip of water from the stalactites above. Holding Bai firmly, Yohan approached the water's edge, intending to use his companion as a makeshift danger detector.
As he lowered Bai towards the water, the tiger cub opened his eyes and gave a dissatisfied growl, clearly unimpressed with Yohan's plan.
"What? You're a tiger cub, not a cat. Are you afraid of water?" Yohan teased. Bai growled again in response, a clear indication of his annoyance. Smiling slightly, Yohan held Bai closer.
"Looks like everything is clear,"
Yohan muttered to himself. He placed Bai on top of his head and swam towards the tree. The tree wasn't particularly tall, but its trunk was unusually thick. Upon reaching it, Yohan set Bai down and climbed up to pick some of the fruits. He jumped down and handed one to Bai.
"Here, eat this, and let's break through first," Yohan said.
Bai sniffed the fruit briefly before gulping it down in one bite, then closed his eyes. The elemental energy around him began to surge as Bai absorbed more and more. Encouraged by this, Yohan sat down and took a bite of his own fruit. It tasted like cool jelly filled with juices. After consuming all the pulp, he found a glowing core in the middle, which held the most elemental energy in the whole fruit.
As Yohan absorbed the core, energy filled his body, making his body stronger. The aura around him gradually turned from metallic to a bronze color. After a while, the surge of elemental energy subsided, and the surrounding atmosphere returned to normal.
Yohan opened his eyes and felt the surge of strength coursing through his body. He could feel that he was now twice as strong as before. Bai had already broken through and was waiting patiently for him.
Yohan looked at Bai and said,
"Let's try something, Bai. If it's successful, we can cut our training time in half and become even stronger."
Bai tilted his head, curiosity and anticipation evident in his eyes. Yohan reached out, ready to put his plan into action.
"Sync!" Yohan commanded, and he and Bai entered their synchronized state. Yohan's body transformed into a white half-beastman, blending his human form with Bai's power.
"Please work, please work," Yohan thought, his mind focused on the task.
"Panel, merge Wind Claw and Wind Blade," he instructed.
The panel responded: "Merging... merging complete."
System show me Bai's status, Yohan said.
STATS
Name: BAI
Race: White Tiger
Realm: Peak - Bronze
Bloodline: [White Tiger (Unique)]
Affinity: [Wind - (61%) Superior], [Metal - (65%) Superior]
Talent: Metallic Onslaught
Skills: Ironclad Aura (Intermediate), Wind Claw (Advanced), Wind Blade (Advanced)
"Yes, it worked, and they have advanced proficiency," Yohan exclaimed with satisfaction. He sheathed his sword and prepared to test the new skill.
"Wind Blade," Yohan said, and green energy enveloped his blade. As he slashed, a green wind blade shot out, slicing a stone in half with ease.
"It's even stronger than the Ironclad Aura. We've got another killer move," Yohan said, his excitement barely contained.
"Wind Claw", Yohan said.
Yohan focused on his newly acquired skills, channeling the Wind Claw. Wind elemental energy covered his sharp claws, and as he swung towards a wall, deep claw marks formed with ease. Eager to test the full extent of his new powers, Yohan continued to slash at a nearby boulder with both his claws and sword.
With each strike, the boulder chipped away, little by little, until suddenly, a large crack formed in the middle. The boulder split apart, and a gust of wind blew dust into Yohan's face.
"Cough, cough! Is there a space behind the boulder?" he wondered aloud.
As the dust settled, Yohan saw a short passage revealed behind the broken boulder. Intrigued, he cautiously approached the passage.
The passage was not very long. Yohan reached a room at the end of the path. The room was modest in size and appeared to have been carved out of the surrounding rock to create this hidden space. As he looked around, it became clear that this was a study room. In the middle of the room stood a table, and sitting in a chair was a skeleton. The skeleton was not human; its head was oddly long, and it had four long arms.
As Yohan moved towards the table, he noticed bottles lining both sides of the wall, containing unknown substances. On the table itself were various odd tools and, most intriguingly, a clear, light blue glowing shard.
Yohan approached the table cautiously, his curiosity piqued by the strange items. The glowing shard emitted a soft light, drawing his attention. He reached out, wondering what secrets this hidden room and its unusual contents might hold.