SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 65: Skill Fusion!

The golden fruit exploded in Daniel’s mouth with a taste that was like sunshine mixed with wild honey and a jolt of pure energy.

"Boom!"

A wave of power surged through him, making his muscles hum and his vision sharpen.

He felt stronger, faster, his S-Grade Solar Flare Fist Art tingling in his knuckles like a contained star.

Daniel heard a distant roar, the crash of trees, and then the unmistakable sound of Ayra’s battle cry, a furious "BOOM!" that even resonated up the cliff.

Lia’s softer voice, casting a spell, followed. They were already fighting.

"Right, can’t leave them to have all the fun," Daniel decided.

He took one last look at the ancient, now bare tree, then launched himself off the ledge.

He didn’t just climb down; he practically fell, using his A-Grade Phantom Edge Striking Wraps to catch handholds, slowing his descent in controlled bursts.

The wind shrieked past him as he dropped, each impact with the cliff face absorbed by his incredible agility.

He landed at the bottom of the cliff just as Ayra, a crimson whirlwind, sent the last of the three initial ambushers, the scarred man, flying into a tree with a sickening crunch.

The ground around her was torn up, and the brute with the spiked club lay in a broken heap.

Lia stood nearby, her Verdant Lifespring Staff-Sword glowing with a soft, healing light, a calm center in the storm of Ayra’s fury.

But then, Daniel’s [Aura Sense+] screamed a warning.

The rat-faced man, the third of the trio who had threatened Ayra and Lia, the one who had cowered when Ayra first attacked, was scrambling away, disappearing into the dense, dark trees!

He was fast, scuttling like his namesake.

"You’ll pay for this, bitches!" his terrified voice resonated back. "Boss Jaeger... he’ll hunt you down! He’ll make you scream!"

"Oh no, you don’t!" Daniel growled. He didn’t even need his C-Grade bow for this.

He scooped up a sharp, obsidian-like rock from the ground. With a surge of his immense Strength, he hurled it.

The rock flew like a bullet, a black streak against the gloom, the wind shrieking around its passage.

"Thwack!"

It hit the fleeing rat-faced man squarely in the back of the head. He dropped like a stone, his escape cut brutally short.

Another "Boom!" as his body hit the forest floor.

Ayra, panting, turned around, her crimson aura slowly dimming. frёeωebɳovel.com

"Vance! Took you long enough! Did you get the shiny apples?"

"Golden fruits, Ayra, and yes," Daniel said, walking over to the fallen thugs.

"Looks like you two handled the welcoming committee. Though one tried to sneak off."

He gestured towards where the rat-faced man had fallen.

Lia approached, her expression concerned. "That was... intense.

They were surprisingly aggressive. And he mentioned a ’Boss Jaeger’?"

"Sounds like an organized problem for later," Daniel said dismissively. "For now, a little cleanup."

He knelt beside the scarred leader’s corpse. Time for the harvest. His SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation] talent hummed eagerly.

He had plenty of charges, around nineteen out of his current limit of twenty-five.

He placed his hand on the scarred man.

<Assimilate?> Yes.

A wave of coarse, violent energy flowed into him.

[Soul Assimilation successful on Fallen Awakened: Scarred Thug Leader.]

[Gain: Strength +0.1, Vitality +0.08]

[Skill Fragment Acquired: Crude Berserk (F-Grade - Minor, uncontrolled strength boost with significant stamina drain.)]

"Hmm, not much," Daniel muttered. He moved to the brute.

[Soul Assimilation successful on Fallen Awakened: Hulking Brute.]

[Gain: Strength +0.12, Vitality +0.15]

[Skill Fragment Acquired: Thick Skull (F-Grade - Slightly reduces stun duration from head impacts. Does not improve intelligence.)]

Daniel almost chuckled at that one. Then, he went to the rat-faced man he’d dispatched.

[Soul Assimilation successful on Fallen Awakened: Rat-faced Thug.]

[Gain: Agility +0.1, Spirit +0.05]

[Skill Acquired: Cowardly Retreat (D-Grade - Increases speed by 50% for 3 seconds when fleeing a stronger opponent. Cannot be used to charge.)]

A D-Grade skill! Not amazing, but interesting. His SSS-Talent was already sifting through the new essences, searching for connections.

But before he could ponder skill fusions, he remembered the other corpse.

The Gloomfang Devourer, the Level 13 Alpha beast Ayra and Lia had fought so hard to bring down before these thugs showed up.

Its massive, shadowy form lay nearby, still radiating a faint, oppressive energy.

"That thing was tough," Ayra said, kicking its leg. "Dropped a Yin card, at least."

Daniel walked over to the Devourer. This was a much richer source. He placed his hand on its cooling, shadowy hide.

<Assimilate?> Yes.

An immense wave of primal, shadowy might surged into him! It felt heavy, powerful, infused with the raw strength of the Yin region.

[Soul Assimilation successful on Creature: Gloomfang Devourer (Level 13 Alpha Variant).]

[Gain: Strength +120!]

[Gain: Vitality +150!]

[Gain: Adaptability +40!]

[Skill Acquired: Shadow Rend (C-Grade - Imbue attacks with shadowy energy that tears at armor and flesh, causing bleeding.)]

[Combat EXP Gained: 600!]

[Level 5: 2396/1800 EXP]

Daniel gasped. The attribute gains were massive! And 600 EXP! His Level 5 bar, which needed 1800 EXP, instantly filled and then some!

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 6!]

[All Attributes +1!]

[Free Attribute Points Gained: 5!]

[Free Class Skill Point Gained: 1!]

[Soul Assimilation Charges Fully Restored and Limit Increased!]

Level 6! The power surge was incredible, washing away his fatigue from the climb.

His charges were now at 30/30! He quickly allocated the 5 attribute points to Strength, pushing it even higher.

The Class Skill Point he’d save for later.

And a new C-Grade skill, [Shadow Rend]! This was a fantastic haul from one beast.

His Nexus Interface chimed again, the SSS-Talent working its magic with the recently acquired essences from the thugs.

[Detected compatible skill resonance: Crude Berserk (F-Fragment), Thick Skull (F-Fragment), and ambient bestial fury from Gloomfang Devourer assimilation.]

[Attempting Skill Fusion...]

[Fusion Successful! New Skill Acquired: SAVAGE MIGHT (B-Grade)!]

A B-Grade strength skill from F-Grade trash and ambient energy!

Daniel eagerly checked it.

[Skill: Savage Might (B-Grade): Active Skill. Enter a controlled battle rage, increasing physical Strength by 100% and Vitality by 50% for 1 minute. Minor mental acuity reduction during use. Moderate mana/stamina cost. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]

This was a significant, controllable strength boost, far better than the crude berserk states of the thugs. It would stack wonderfully with his already immense strength.

Another chime.

[Detected compatible skill resonance: Cowardly Retreat (D-Grade), existing [Phantom Blink] (C+-Grade), and [Phase Jaunt (Minor fragment from Shadow-Guards)].]

[Attempting Skill Fusion...]

[Fusion Successful! Skill Upgraded: [Phantom Blink] (C+-Grade) has evolved into SHADOW GLIDE (A-Grade)!]

An A-Grade movement skill! His jaw nearly dropped.

[Skill: Shadow Glide (A-Grade): Active Skill.

User’s Agility is effectively quadrupled for 15 seconds. Movement becomes utterly silent, appearing as a flickering, almost invisible shadow.

High chance to briefly phase through non-magical obstacles or minor energy attacks. Activation sound completely nullified.

Moderate mana cost. Cooldown: 50 seconds.]

Quadrupled Agility! Silent! Phasing! This was incredible! His [Phantom Blink] was already good, but [Shadow Glide] was on a whole other level.

He felt like he could dance through a laser grid blindfolded now. The wind would probably shriek just trying to keep up with him!

"Vance? You okay there? You look like you just won the lottery," Ayra said, noticing his slightly dazed but ecstatic expression.

Daniel grinned. "Something like that. Just got a couple of... very nice upgrades."

He looked at the five golden fruits still in his inventory. "And speaking of upgrades..." He tossed two fruits to Ayra and two to Lia. "Eat up.

Nyx seemed to think these were pretty special. I kept one more for myself for later."

Lia caught her fruits gracefully. "Golden Sun-Kissed Fruits," she murmured, recognizing them from some ancient text.

"Legends say they grant immense vitality and can awaken latent affinities. These are incredibly precious, Daniel."

Ayra was already biting into hers. "Mmmph! Tastes like victory and sunshine!" she declared, juice running down her chin.

"Let’s see if it makes my punches even punchier!"

Daniel chuckled. This was going to be a very interesting power-up for all of them.

He popped his second golden fruit into his mouth, savoring the explosive burst of energy.

The Taiji Basin was dangerous, but the rewards were truly out of this world