[TALEWEAVING FRUIT CONSUD! NEW TALENT ACQUIRED!]
The system notification flared in Jack's vision. The warmth from the consud fruit still lingered. A potent, alien energy settling deep within him.
It wasn't just a feeling of energy. It was like a new sense had been switched on. Humming quietly.
[ADJUSTING TALENT... NEW SUPERNATURAL TRAIT ACQUIRED!]
[MYSTERIOUS FLAVOUR]
Another trait. Jack felt sothing subtle shift inside him. It was there. A potentiality. But muted.
It felt like it was a power not ant for his human form. It was strongly suppressed. He needed details. He focused. Accessing the description of the new addition.
[Mysterious Flavor: A supernatural trait allowing the user to manipulate the sense of taste and trigger associated mories or emotions in target individuals. It can create intense gustatory illusions, making targets taste anything from the sweetest nectar to the most horrific decay, or even flavors that shouldn't exist. Effectiveness varies based on target's resistance and user's concentration. NOTE: Only 60% power is accessible in this form.]
Gustatory illusions. Making people taste things that weren't there. Interesting. But it seed niche. Still, a new trait was a new trait.
He filed it away. Already thinking about potential applications in his Jack Mystery form. It could certainly add a new layer to his illusion.
He was still contemplating about it when the system notification erupted again. More urgent this ti.
[FIVE COMPATIBLE SUPERNATURAL TRAITS DETECTED.]
[INITIATING TRAIT FUSION.]
[WARNING: FUSION PROCESS IS AUTOMATIC AND IRREVERSIBLE.]
Automatic? Irreversible? Jack didn't like the sound of that. He had no control over this. What traits were fusing? Five? He had several 'Mysterious' traits.
Dream, Lullaby... what else? Control? Fragrance? Or even the passive ones... Mysterious Nature or Mysterious Survival Sense.
[FUSING THE TRAITS AUTOMATICALLY.]
[MYSTERIOUS DREAM, MYSTERIOUS LULLABY, MYSTERIOUS CONTROL, MYSTERIOUS FRAGRANCE, AND MYSTERIOUS FLAVOR... FUSED.]
There it was. Dream, Lullaby, Control, Fragrance, and Flavor. Why would they... Wait! All of them were affecting senses. Sight. Hearing. Touch. Sll. Taste.
What would they beco together? A single, consolidated ability?
[FUSION COMPLETED]
[MYSTERIOUS ANOMALY ACQUIRED]
Mysterious Anomaly. It sounded... significant. And ominous. All those separate traits were gone now. Replaced by one. Jack felt a profound shift within his spiritual core.
Shocked, Jack imdiately pulled up his status panel. It materialized before his eyes. Hovering transparently in his sight.
[CHARACTER STATUS]
[Na: Jack Night]
[Incarnation Type: Human]
[Persona: Jack Night]
[Race: Transcendent Human]
[Class: Steamrune Engineer]
[Archetype: Mortal Creature]
[Power Source: Spirit of Judgent]
[Attributes: Physique (76) Mysticism (76) Passion (76) Essence (99)]
[Karma: Positive]
[System Sight Modes: Information Panel; Fear Detection; Aura Detection; Karma Detection]
[Supernatural Traits: Mysterious Anomaly; Mysterious Mirror World; Incarnation Shift; Grootslang's Gemstone Detection]
[Permanent Traits: Mysterious Survival Sense; Mysterious Nature; Devourer Physique]
[Status Effect: Mortality]
[Personal Artifact: Nightmare Mace, Daydream Undersuit, Nine-Anchor Portal Ring, Artifact Seeds (2)]
[Steamrune Skills: Steamrune Fusion, Steamrune Enchantnt, Steamrune Compression]
It was right. The list of Supernatural Traits was shorter. Mysterious Dream, Mysterious Lullaby, and the like... they were gone. Replaced by Mysterious Anomaly.
The other traits, Mirror World, Incarnation Shift, Grootslang's Gemstone Detection, remained. His Permanent Traits were untouched.
He focused on the new trait. Mysterious Anomaly. What did it do?
[Mysterious Anomaly: A high-tier supernatural trait born from the fusion of multiple sensory manipulation abilities. It allows the user to create illusions that are profoundly real, engaging all five senses (sight, sound, touch, sll, taste) simultaneously and coherently. The illusions can feel so tangible and impactful that they blur the line between perception and reality, creating localized 'anomalies' in the environnt. The effectiveness is dramatically amplified when the user is in their pure spiritual form, allowing for near-perfect manipulation of perception and limited manipulation of reality itself within the anomaly. Other forms can utilize the trait, but are limited to approximately 70% of its potential due to the physical constraints of the incarnated body.]
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That was... incredible.
Illusions so real they were almost like manipulating reality. Engaging all five senses. That was significantly more powerful than his previous abilities.
And the note about his specter form... "near-perfect manipulation of perception and limited manipulation of reality itself." That was a massive upgrade for Jack Mystery.
The other forms, Judge Jack and Jack Night, were limited. But even 70% of that potential sounded terrifyingly useful.
He felt a surge of satisfaction. Quickly followed by a sober assessnt. This wasn't just a cool trick. This was a serious weapon. Anomaly. It was a fitting na.
He could twist the world around his targets. Making them experience their greatest dreams. Or the worst nightmares. As if they were physically happening.
This aligned perfectly with his punitive philosophy. Granting the worthy suitable reward. And forcing the guilty to face the punishnt they deserved.
The intense focus on his system panel dissolved. As quickly as it had ford. Jack blinked. The ethereal screen vanishing.
He was back in the small room of the Tale Mansion. He realized he had been standing utterly still. Eyes wide and unfocused for a good few minutes. Absorbed in the system interface.
He scanned the small group around him. The first winner, the woman in colorful robes, was indeed watching him. Her expression held a mixture of curiosity.
Had she noticed his montary daze? Probably. Eating a magical fruit. And then freezing like a statue wasn't exactly subtle.
He glanced at the third winner. The man with the long beard. He was still staring straight ahead. Smiling. Eyes vacant. A hand slowly stroking his beard.
He was clearly still deep in whatever vision or sensation the fruit had given him. Jack didn't feel so odd anymore. At least he had recovered quickly.
A few more monts passed in silence. The three winners and the butler stood silently. Then, the long-bearded man blinked. Shaking his head slightly as if clearing cobwebs.
A wider smile spread across his face. A look of profound wonder in his eyes. He ran a hand over his chest. Seeming to feel sothing unseen. Whatever the fruit had done for him, it seed powerful.
At that mont, the Tale Manor butler glided forward. His movents smooth and practiced. He stopped a respectful distance from the three of them.
"Winners." The butler's voice was still cold. "You have each successfully acquired the gift granted by the Taleweaving Fruits. Your ti here is concluded. If you would follow , I shall escort you back to the receiving hall."
He gestured towards a side archway. Decorated with carved vines that seed to subtly writhe.
The woman in robes gave Jack a final, assessing look. Before turning and walking towards the butler. The man with long beard nodded absently and followed.
Jack nodded curtly to the butler. And fell in behind them. The air felt different now. Less charged with potential. More mundane.
He held the mory of the system notifications and the description of [Mysterious Anomaly] firm in his mind. He needed to test this. Soon.
They walked through silent corridors. The polished floors were reflecting the faint lantern light. The Tale Mansion was certainly a place steeped in its own kind of magic. Even if it wasn't openly flashy.
They reached the receiving hall. The crowd of participants and spectators was there. Thinning. Many were still talking excitedly about the competition results. Or packing up their returned artworks.
Jack spotted Big Bill first. His massive fra was easy to pick out. Danny was nearby. Talking animatedly to so other rcenaries. His chanical arm glinting under the gas lamps.
Jack exited the archway. And both Bill and Danny noticed him imdiately.
"Jack! There you are!" Danny practically shouted. Abandoning his conversation. He jogged over. Bill following at a steadier pace.
"So? You got one? Which one? What does it do? Did it taste weird? My brother didn't win anything, just got his big old lump back,"
Danny gestured dismissively at Bill's returned stone sculpture. Which sat on a nearby table looking undeniably lumpy.
Big Bill ignored his brother's jab. And simply reached out. Giving Jack a solid pat on the shoulder. It was like being hit by a cushioned mallet. But it was Bill's way of showing approval.
"Good job, Jack!" He rumbled.
Jack winced slightly under the pat. "Yeah, I got one." He said. Keeping his tone level. "Consud it. It was... interesting."
"Interesting? That's it? Just interesting?" Danny pressed. Leaning closer. His gaze was sharp and inquisitive. He loved knowing how things worked. Especially strange, powerful things. "Co on, what happened? Did you feel a surge of power? See visions? Grow a third arm?"
"No third arm." Jack said dryly. He rubbed his shoulder. "Felt sothing happen, yeah. Felt different inside. Can't really explain it properly right now. Needs testing."
"Testing? Like, right now?" Danny's eyes lit up. Ever eager for action or a spectacle. "What kind of testing? Can I record it?"
"No, not right now," Jack said firmly. "Not here. It's... subtle. Or maybe not subtle, I don't know yet. Point is, it's done. Got the fruit, ate it, sothing happened. That's the summary for now."
Bill grunted. "Sounds about right. Things happen. Don't always make sense right away."
He picked up his lumpy stone sculpture. It was surprisingly heavy. "My rock didn't win, but I didn't expect it to. Just wanted to see the show."
"Your show was leaving a rock on a pedestal, Big Bro." Danny muttered.
"Hey, it was abstract." Bill defended good-naturedly. "Called it 'Solidarity'."
Jack shook his head slightly. Bill's artwork was... unique. "Alright, we done here?" Jack asked, looking around. The hall was almost empty now. The Tale Mansion felt less inviting without the buzz of the competition.
"Guess so," Danny said. Though he still looked unsatisfied. "Co on, let's get back to the ship."
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