Passive Skill: Lone's Fledgling Battle Technique

A skill created by the infamous foxkin, Lone Immortus.

Allows the host to use all skills fused into the battle technique at the same level of mastery as the battle technique. All fused skills shall also be twice as effective as when they were not fused.

To fuse a skill the host must first check to see if the skill is fusible by chanting 'Fusion Possibility'. If fusible, the host must meditate while thinking about the fusion.

Currently fused skills: [Evasion Mastery] | [Spear Mastery] | [Sword Mastery] | [Swordspear Mastery] | [Polearm Mastery] | [Haste] | [Weapon Block].

Cost: N/A Mastery: Beginner Level 1

'Mediate while thinking about the fusion? That's bloody vague. What the fuck does that even mean?' Lone asked himself.

He rested his chin on Soph's head and fell into deeper thoughts. 'Still, even if they're downgraded to beginner-level-1, they're working together far better now. I could feel that while fighting Hubert.'

Soph squeezed his tails in an attempt to calm her migraine and to help Lone think better. She knew he liked being groomed, so she began running her slender fingers through his fur.

'Hmm... Those active skills that got fused, Haste and Weapon Block... Do they work the same as before, or are they passive now? How would Haste be passive? Can I fuse any skill into this technique? What about world, soul, or unique skills? What about magic or resistance skills?' Lone had an endless stream of questions.

He frowned while his chin rested on Soph's head. 'I need to talk to Professor Ruairidh about this. He's an expert on subskills and they have some relation to fusion skills. He's never really broached the subject before, but I mean, c'mon... If that falls through, maybe the kid who tried to kill me with his summon? What was his name again?... It's hard to keep track of everyone that tries to kill me...'

A problem for another day, Lone felt. "Hey, Soph."

"Mmm?" Soph's voice was strained and almost sounded sleepy.

"I'm thinking about asking the Divine Soul Oracle brothers to see if they can help with your and Sophie's issue. Thoughts?" Lone asked.

Soph leaned further into his chest and closed her eyes. "Why?"

"... I don't want Sophie to be trapped in Saturn while I figure out how to put her in a body. Hell, I'm worried that just moving her into Saturn will greatly injure her," Lone said.

He peered over to Rachel and Swind who was caring for her very affectionately. The girl was idly watching the Red Spear group as they performed their skills and various battle techniques. Every now and then a small smile would show on her face when they used a flashy skill.

"What if Sophie degrades so much that she permanently loses chunks of her memories? Those Divines may have a solution," Lone explained his concerns.

Soph weakly nodded. "I trust you..."

Lone kissed her head in response.

Soph was getting more and more feeble as the seconds passed. It was clear to see that she was getting very close to having Sophie detach her soul from Soph's.

'Should I unsummon her? If I do, I don't have to worry about her falling unconscious or getting hurt. I can just leave the girls with her and let Garadia alarm me telepathically if anything happens,' Lone thought.

He frowned softly once again. 'On the flip side, I've shown a fuckton of crazy items and abilities, but Soph and a baby Golden Foxkin disappearing mysteriously might raise a few eyebrows. Which eyebrows, exactly, is the question...'

Lone pondered over the matter for a few moments before making a decision. "Fuck it."

"... Potty... mouth," Soph murmured faintly with a small smile on her lips.

Lone kissed the top of her head again and said, "I'm gonna send you and the girls to the summoning room, 'kay? I'll feel more reassured with you in a safe space when you're like this. Tell Garadia to warn me if anything happens before you start relaxing or fall asleep, please."

Soph nodded. "... Okay..."

She was in far too much pain to bother questioning Lone. If he thought it was the best course of action, then the best course of action it was.

Lone immediately unsummoned Soph, Kyuubi, and Garadia.

Back in The Glade where Infa had immediately returned with Garadia after their match had concluded, the lumbering dragon of stone jolted slightly upon feeling the sleeping ball of fluff atop his head disappearing.

"Ah, Foxkin Lone has unsummoned her..." Infa said to himself.

He got up and stretched lightly, resulting in the ground rumbling in response. He then curled up in a massive ball and yawned.

"I miss her warmth," Infa muttered before he fell asleep.

"Teleportation?" Divine Rend wondered aloud upon seeing Soph disappear.

His brothers were just as confused.

"I didn't feel a drop of MP being used," Divine Weeping claimed.

The middle brother - Divine Spirit - nodded. "How odd. What will you do now, Eldest Brother?"

"... Hmm..." Divine Rend tapped his chair's armrest a few times in thought. "For me to have not sensed the soul disappear nor its intended destination... I think a conversation with the mortal boy is required."

"After this competition ends then," Divine Spirit said. "No point disrupting such a large event for your personal curiosity, Eldest Brother, despite how much I know you would love to. Remember that we're in Divine Time's territory."

Divine Rend nodded. "I am ignorant of social norms, however, I am not a fool. I need not make an enemy out of one of the most powerful Divines when I have a chance of resolving everything over a discussion and perhaps some negotiations."

"Great. We'll both come with you then. Youngest Brother can have five of the favours you promised me if he involves himself," Divine Spirit said.

Divine Weeping nodded calmly. "I have a lot of interest in this Lone character myself. As I said before, his degree of love is rare. Likewise, his strange metal-limbed companion and the soul scarred foxkin girl interest me also."

"It's decided then," Divine Spirit said with a content smile on his face.

Archon Milos was greatly shocked when Kyuubi simply vanished from his arms.

At first, he panicked, thinking that he'd somehow allowed her to be kidnapped from under his nose. After all, there were eight confirmed Divines present, supposedly nine, and only the Primals knew how many more hiding in the grandstands.

Not to mention the countless pseudo-Divines and royals with bloodline magics not dissimilar to the strange compulsion magic of Lone's prior prisoner.

It took the old wizened mage a few seconds to figure out that, contrary to his initial thoughts, Lone had somehow teleported Kyuubi and Soph away.

'It's either that or he's gone insane from their sudden disappearance. From what I've heard, the boy is incredibly protective of them.' Archon Milos was about to charge over to Lone's side to assault him with a barrage of questions.

After all, space magic and all things related to it were his life's work. Whatever Lone had done was beyond Archon Milos' comprehension to even notice on a magical level. However, Eolande stopped him by flying in front of him.

She shook her head and grinned lightly. "This happens quite often. Wait for the contest to end before you ask him any questions, okay? He needs to rest right now before Red Spear finishes."

Lipsilk hovered over to the archon's side and patted his shoulder. "Don't be in a hurry. If he's your disciple then you should be aware of how abnormal he is. He's never told me about how he can make Sophie and their daughters vanish and reappear, but I have some theories. Care to hear them?"

Archon Milos' eyes lit up. "Absolutely!"

Lone watched all of this and mentally thanked both Eolande and Lipsilk before he closed his eyes and then activated his skill, Meditation.

Blue tribal tattoos spiralled all over his body and down his tails and hair. This also brought some attention to him since he seemed to be using yet another self-created skill, but Lone didn't care. He just focused on recovering his MP and SP.

Feeling a set of arms coil around his neck affectionately, Lone opened his eyes. "Eolande? You really shouldn't be hugging me like that."

She had her face pressed up against his as she floated behind his chair. Her eyes were mostly closed and she had a content smile on her face.

"It's just a hug. Please, give me at least this much. It's such a struggle to not call you 'husband', so a little bit of skinship won't hurt, right?" Eolande asked. "You wouldn't deny Breena or Swind a hug."

"They also wouldn't hug my neck from behind. Breena's too short and Swind isn't gay," Lone sighed. "I guess you bothered me 'cause restin' time is over?"

Softly kissing his check then pulling away, Eolande nodded. "I'm afraid so, Lone. You're really handsome when you concentrate, by the way."

Lone sighed again as he stood up. "Do you have to flirt with me the second I unsummon Soph?"

Eolande giggled. "She probably passed out in The Summoning Room, right? With her headache and those two fluffy kids, I doubt she'd be able to stay awake. When the cat's away, the mouse will play... At least, that's what one of your books from Earth quoted."

Lone reached over and flicked her forehead as softly as he could. A big lump still appeared on her glabella and it throbbed with a violent shade of red. "Ow!" Eolande covered the wound as tears leaked out of her eyes. "Rude."

"Don't give me that look. Of course I'm gonna punish you for tempting me to cheat on Soph. Without her consent, you and I are just friends," Lone stated a bit coldly.

Eolande's heart tightened in her chest painfully. "I... I know..."

"Good. Wish me luck?" Lone asked.

"Uh, sure. Good luck, Lone," Eolande said as she watched him wander over to the centre of the arena once again.

She sat down on his chair, basking in the warmth he had left there. "... It smells like you... Idiot. You already cheat on her with Sophie... It's so unfair..."

"Oh! What's this? The remaining adventurers as well as Seeker Bright's group have all forfeited before even being able to fight Lone Immortus!" Muradon the All-mage announced.

Lone clicked his tongue upon hearing that. 'Damn. I guess they either got cold feet or realised that I can basically steal skills.'

"I know some of you are disappointed by this but worry not! Lone Immortus still had yet to face the new matriarch of the Bright Tigerkin Clan as well as the entirety of the gathered members of the Aqua Foxkin Clan!" Muradon claimed confidently.

His holographic face then smiled knowingly. "Needless to say that today's event has a very special finale planned out, so don't get too disappointed just yet!"

The crowd seemed to settle down a bit after hearing that. A lot of people were apparently pretty keen on watching Lone battle with the church's forces, so they had been quite upset to learn that Seeker Bright and his men had withdrawn from the challenge.

Muradon went on to reintroduce Rangah and Zeeb Whitestripes. Many voices actually spoke up in protest of Zeeb's presence and they were only silenced when the man himself said that he would not be fighting and was only here to support his daughter.

"People really hate you, huh?" Lone asked as he cracked his neck and started doing some simple stretches. He'd gotten a bit stiff from meditating.

The Agile Fang nodded. "Such is the fate we both seem to share, hmm?"

"I guess," Lone replied with a shrug. "I haven't killed a Divine though. Not yet. Haven't toppled a kingdom either. Not directly, at least."

"And I wasn't instrumental in putting an end to an Ancient," Zeeb replied.

Rangah who was stood next to her father frowned. "You promised you wouldn't be difficult with him."

"Sorry, Sweetheart. Bad habit. Well, I trust you'll treat my lovely daughter and the new leader of the Bright Tigerkin Clan well, Lone?" Zeeb asked with that fake smile of his still plastered across his face.

Lone nodded. "I mean, you make it sound like I'm gonna marry her, which I'm not gonna do. Sure, I won't cripple her, but you don't mind a few cuts and bruises, do you, Rangah?"

She waved her two tiger tails happily in response. "Mmm, that's fine."

Zeeb couldn't help but shake his head. "It's still unbelievable to me that she's meek in front of a stranger like you, but considering what I saw at the Beastman Alliance conference and at Castle Hrogar on top of her own words, It's hard to deny you being worthy of her attention."

He then leaned down and kissed the top of Rangah's head. "Give it your all, Sweetheart."

"Mmm," the girl answered plainly.

With that done, Zeeb walked back to the edge of the arena and immediately began talking with Kuu Bluetail while he kept his eyes on Lone and Rangah.

"Well, I guess we should get this show on the road, huh?" Lone asked with a charming smile.