Chapter 611: Fighting God Union
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 611: Fighting God Union
A month had passed since Ban gave the name Ling Ling to the Chaos she had taken in.
Having become the Fighting God’s companion, Ling Ling had naturally secured a position as a sort of mascot among the Pluto Tribe.
“Ling Ling… It certainly has a cute ring to it,” Jin remarked, taking a bite of a kakto fruit.
Perched on Ban’s shoulder, Ling Ling immediately bared its fangs.
[You got a problem with that?! Huh?!]
Jin and Ling Ling bickered frequently, though their spats never held any real malice.
“A problem? I just thought Brother Ban had an unexpectedly soft side.”
[Hmph! You mean it’s unexpected that Ban took me in, and you don’t like it, right?]
“You’re twisting my words again. I just find it fascinating that Brother Ban would choose such a cute name…”
[I don’t like you.]
“Ha, is that so? The feeling’s mutual.”
[You want to go?!]
“Both of you, stop it.”
[Mya-mya!]
Ban and Shuri, who had been listening, shook their heads. They had witnessed this exact verbal spat every time Jin and Ling Ling crossed paths for the past month.
“My apologies, Brother Ban.”
[I’m sorry, Ban.]
“And Ling Ling, Brother Jin is right. Why do you misinterpret his words every time?”
[Ban, why are you always on his side?]
“Because you’re the one in the wrong.”
[Hmph… Well, if Ban says so. I’m sorry, okay?]
Jin shrugged, and Ling Ling clung tightly to Ban’s cheek, acting coy.
“Brother Jin isn't entirely without fault either,” Ban added. “Ling Ling has only just begun living in a group, so it still has a lot to learn. Even if it makes mistakes, you should be more understanding, Brother Jin.”
Blehh, blehh! Ling Ling stuck out its tongue and pulled down its lower eyelid to taunt Jin. Jin suppressed a laugh and remained perfectly still.
He knew that whenever Ling Ling acted like that, it would get a flick on the forehead from Ban.
Snap!
[Ack!]
Ling Ling clutched its forehead for a moment before rubbing its body against Ban’s cheek again.
It really can’t get enough of Brother Ban. To think that thing was that horrific Chaos… I just can’t get used to it.
Still, Jin found the sight of Ban and Ling Ling together rather pleasant.
“Alright, that’s enough rest. Let’s resume training.”
Ban and Jin sat cross-legged, facing each other.
Ever since they had accepted Ling Ling, they had been practicing the ‘Fighting God Union’ every day. Naturally, the technique was stabilizing at a rapid pace.
The two were now able to control the ‘Synchronization.’ The incidents where Jin lost consciousness or Ban became exhausted from an unintended Fighting God Union had completely vanished.
It was all thanks to Ling Ling willingly acting as the link between them.
Wooooong—!
As their Hearts of Light began to glow, Ban’s energy started to pour into Jin.
Adding Ban’s power to Jin’s own 10-star energy didn't produce a dramatic visible effect. According to Ban, this was because Jin still couldn't properly handle his own power. Though the magnitude of his power had reached 10-star, he lacked the fine control of a 1st-Class Superhuman and thus couldn't achieve the corresponding efficiency.
“You must know the exact magnitude of the power you can handle. Concentrate,” Ban instructed.
“Yes, Brother Ban.”
Ban’s method shared many similarities with the Mind’s Eye training Jin had undergone with Luna. Just like when awakening the Mind’s Eye, he had to ‘recognize’ his own energy with his eyes closed.
It was like swimming in an ocean. His task was to form that ocean of power within his mind and discern its scale—to find out how far he could go, and where the end was.
As always, Jin was completing the process faster than Ban had anticipated.
Soon, Jin’s brow furrowed, and a satisfied smile appeared on Ban’s face.
“Have you recognized it?”
“Yes. Just as you said, Brother Ban, I can clearly feel it now that I’ve reached the end. This is the limit. And beyond it… I see an ocean that seems to be your power. Between them lies the dark lead energy.”
The dark lead energy belonged to Ling Ling. That energy served as the conduit connecting Jin and Ban’s power, while simultaneously acting as a safety device. Ling Ling’s will prevented their powers from mixing uncontrollably. Without it, problems would inevitably arise for both Jin and Ban, just as they had before.
“Since you have reached this point, your control over the Fighting God Union is as good as complete.”
“…For now, my vessel is insufficient. Even if I synchronize with you, I can’t produce power greater than my own total energy.”
When Ling Ling had drained his power, he had felt his entire body being filled with Ban’s energy. At that time, Jin’s vessel had been empty, but that wasn't the case now. There was no room for Ban’s power to squeeze in.
However, the Fighting God Union was still a transcendent martial art for two reasons.
“From now on, as long as you are with me, you will never grow weary.”
While the Fighting God Union was active, Ban’s power would replenish Jin’s energy whenever it was depleted. This meant Jin could always maintain his energy at maximum capacity. If the ‘Mirror’ had granted Jin divine mana during the Sword Emperor Holy War, Ban was now providing him with infinite Aura and Lightning Energy.
But the truly astonishing part was something else.
“Yes… and furthermore, your experience, senses, and even your vision are merging with mine…”
As he spoke, Jin suddenly shuddered. A thrill ran down his spine, so intense it made his skin crawl.
Just now, Jin had perceived the absolute limit of his power and recognized the point beyond it where Ling Ling and Ban’s energies connected. Thanks to this achievement—made in just one month—the Fighting God Union was showing a level of synchronization on a completely different level than before.
The result was the sharing of Ban’s experience, senses, and perspective. Everything she had accumulated as a Fighting God was seeping into Jin’s mind.
Memory transfer from Boras’s blacksmithing techniques, Valeria’s Record Magic, indirect experience through Solderet’s recordings… if those were forms of inheritance, what Jin was experiencing now was a literal ‘Union.’
In a way, Jin was Ban.
I imagine this is what it feels like for a blind person to open their eyes…
Even the scenery of the training ground, as familiar as his own home, looked completely different. Which walls were weak, which ground was solid, every current of the wind—Jin could perceive it all. It was a sensation as if he had become a god contemplating the world, and the feeling made him tremble. He could even clearly sense the breathing of his other brothers far away, outside the training ground.
Has Brother Ban always lived with these kinds of senses?
In his current state, Jin couldn't maintain this condition for long. Even while standing still, overwhelming information and sensations flooded him, and just processing it all made him breathless. When the Fighting God Union had first unfolded, Jin had felt as if he were reborn. Compared to now, that was nothing.
The light glowing from their Hearts of Light dimmed. Ban had deactivated the Fighting God Union before Jin could become further exhausted.
“Hah.”
Jin couldn't help but wear a dazed expression, like someone who had witnessed an unbelievable miracle. He also had to suppress a feeling of extreme regret. The moment the Fighting God Union was deactivated, it felt as if the world had returned to monochrome.
He could no longer sense the ground and wind of the training ground with perfect accuracy, nor could he feel the breathing of his brothers. The sensation of having become a god vanished as if it had been a dream.
“You look quite shocked, Brother Jin.”
“It’s more than that. Just now, without any effort… I felt as if I had reached the Realm of Creation.”
“It’s incorrect to say there was no effort. After all, it was because of the achievements you made on your own that my senses were transmitted to that extent.”
Just as Jin had felt Ban’s senses, Ban had felt Jin’s impressions in their entirety.
“…To that extent? Are you saying that wasn't all of it?”
At those words, Ban smiled gently. “Brother Jin, I am the Fighting God.”
[That’s right! Our Ban is the Fighting God! You weakling, consider it an honor!]
[Mya, mya-mya?]
At Ling Ling’s outburst, Shuri made a sound as if asking why it was acting so proud, but Jin couldn't snap out of his shock. The ‘Ban’ he had just experienced wasn't even the whole of her.
Just how strong is Brother Ban…?
Back during their first training session, on the day he had finally managed to exchange a single blow with Ban, he had felt she was like a massive, distant wall. It had been that way ever since. But now, when he was stronger than ever, she seemed the furthest away she had ever been.
“You, too, will be able to enter the same realm as I,” Ban said, her voice firm. “If you couldn't, you wouldn't have been able to receive my senses at all.”
Ban did not speak empty words. Jin nodded silently. He didn't know when it would happen, but if she said so, it meant he could reach it.
“The sensations have faded, but the memories will remain, Brother Jin.”
“Yes, Brother Ban.”
Even though it felt like the world had returned to monochrome, he vividly remembered the sensations he had experienced while the Fighting God Union was active.
“We will proceed with training using those sensations. In other words, you will be learning how to fight like me. We will also work on increasing the duration of the Fighting God Union.”
There was no training in the world that could make him grow faster than this. Jin was certain of it.
[If you want to increase the duration, you’d better stay on my good side, you hear?]
“Now, now, Ling Ling.”
[Hmph.]
“Once your performance reaches a certain level, we will begin sparring with the Fighting Kings again,” Ban continued. “Your first opponent will be the 12th Fighting King.”
The 12th Fighting King, Teto. Ban had designated Teto as the first opponent because he was the weakest among the Fighting Kings. She was looking forward to seeing Jin defeat them one by one, in ascending order of their combat power.
“I understand.”