Child of Destiny

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Old Plum cleared his throat a little before saying to Shin. “There are some talented individuals that thinks if the Martial-Arts and Mentalism are originally one, then why not try to combine them once again.”

“Some people laughed at them during those times and think that they are getting too full of themselves. But those talented individuals continue to persevere. And even if they didn’t manage to get successful fully, they are still able to make some progress.”

“Some are able to successfully combined the Internal Qi and Mental Energy and called it ‘Worldly Origin’ as it is a combination of a ‘Nature Force’ from the world and ‘Spiritual Energy’ from ones Spirit. And it is suspectedly an improved version of the ‘Origin Force’ of Ancient Cultivators.”

“And even if they can’t use this new type of Force to use any kind of Martial-Art skills or Mentalism techniques, it is still more powerful than the usual Internal Qi and Mental Energy.”

“In fact, it is also more powerful than the ordinary ‘Natural Force’ of a Martial-Artist in Ethereal Opening Stage, and basic ‘Enhanced Mental Energy’ of a Mentalist in peak stage of ‘Grandmaster Realm’.”

“On the other hand, some of those talented individuals managed to create some skills that can be use with either Internal Qi or Mental Energy, but not with the ‘Worldly Origin’. And they called these skills as ‘Secret Arts’.”

“And because of the lead of those guys, a lot more researches regarding the combination of Martial-Arts and Mentalism appeared hear and there.”

“And after a long time of research, a certain Dual-Practioner genius suddenly appeared a hundred years ago. And he is able to successfully combined a ‘Qi Reinforcement Skill’ and a ‘Mental Energy Enhancement’.”

“And together with his lead, a bunch of combined ‘Martial-Art Reinforcements’ and ‘Mentalism Enhancements’ were created. And since he is the first discoverer of that Method, he have the right to named that technique and he called it ‘Unified Strengthening’.”

Shin nodded his head as he tried to imagine himself having that kind of skill. ‘That method was definitely an powerful auxiliary technique.’

Then Old Plum continues. “But having a ‘Unified Strengthening’ is not easy.”

“There are some requirements before someone can have one. First, someone needs to be a Dual-Practioner.”

‘Check!’ Shin makes a mental note that he have passed that requirement.

“Second, the Martial-Arts and Mentalism of the Practioner needs to compliment each other. Or at least, they shouldn’t be in conflict with each other.”

‘Another Check! I can use the ‘Yin-Yang Arts’ and ‘Four Symbol Scripture’ together and it is without problem.’ Shin give himself another mental pass.

“And third and last requirement is that the Martial-Art Reinforcement and Mentalism Enhancement of the respective Practices of the user need to fit the battle style of the user. And that means a person can have a ‘Unified Strengthening Technique’ that is unique to them.”

‘That is the thing that I’m unsure of. Maybe I should try looking at the descriptions of the the ‘Qi Reinforcement Skills’ and ‘Mental Energy Enhancements’ that I have.’ thought Shin.

Then Old Plum added. “What’s more; a person can only have a single ‘Unified Strengthening Technique’ and it needs to be suitable for them and fits their fighting style.”

“Because their bodies might not take the burden if they learn more than that. Unless, they have some unique body constitution just like Divine Bodies and Special Bodies.”

When Shin heard the last part, his eyes suddenly turned bright and blurted out. “So that means I can have more than one ‘Unified Strengthening Technique’?”

Old Plum suddenly looked at his disciple skeptically and said. “What? Are you telling me that you have a Divine Body or a Special Body?”

Shin nodded his head and said. “Un! Uncle Nathan said that I have the ‘Spiritual Embryo’ Special Body.”

This time, Old Plum suddenly got shocked and said. “What!? You really have one!? And it is the most special one of all the Special Bodies for Mentalist!”

Shin shrugged his shoulders and said. “That was what Uncle Nathan have said. And is this Special Body have any other ability other than passively making me a Kaleidoscope Mentalist?”

The corner of Old Plum’s mouth suddenly twitch after hearing that. “Kid, don’t be too greedy. That ability is the best thing that you can ask for, especially that you are a Dual-Practioner.”

“And with that, this ‘Unified Strengthening Technique’ is like a personalized set of clothes that is specially tailored just for you.”

“Tsk! If that Old Fatty knows about this, then he should be jumping with joy right now.”

Shin shrugged for another time before saying. “Whatever. And where the heck is that Old Fatty? He only passed his Mentalism Technique to me and didn’t teach me anything after that.”

Old Plum chuckles after hearing that. “Hehe… Kid, Martial-Arts and Mentalism have different ways of learning. And one of the perks of Mentalism is it can passed down directly by infusing the Mentalism Manuals in your mind.”

“And since the technique is already inside your head, your Mentalism Teacher doesn’t need to teach you directly. All he need to do is to check your progress from time to time while giving you out some pointers.”

“And don’t worry too much. Now that you discovered that you have the ‘Spiritual Embryo’ special body, that Old Fatty will do his outmost to teach you everything that he knows.”

Shin shrugged his shoulders as if he doesn’t care before going back to the topic. “Anyway, are the ‘Worldly Origin’, ‘Secret Arts’ and ‘Unified Strengthening Technique’, the best things that the Practioners of the both practice have made in searching a way to combine Martial-Arts and Mentalism?”

Old Plum nodded his head and said. “You can say that. But they are not the best and most powerful things that have been made during the passage of time.”

Shin sit up straight and said. “Really? Tell me more Old Geezer.”

Old Plum raises one of his brows before saying. “Kid, didn’t I tell you to don’t be too greedy? If you want to learn about everything, then do it little by little. Getting too much information in one go might drown you, so don’t bite more than you can chew.”

“And I only tell these things to you so that you can know what kind of path that I’m expecting for you to take.”

Shin’s ears suddenly perked up after hearing the latter part of Old Plum’s words. “Wait! Are you telling me to walk a path of combining Martial-Arts and Mentalism?”

Old Plum chuckles softly before asking. “You can say that. In fact, you might really have the ability to do that in the future. Given that you are a Dual-Practioner with a Spiritual Embryo.”

Shin knitted his brows and got confused before saying. “But you said earlier that it is close to impossible.”

Old Plum nodded his head and said. “Yes, I said that. It is really close to impossible, but that doesn’t mean that no one can achieve it. In fact, there are some individuals that managed to to do it.”

Shin almost jump from his sitting position after hearing that and said. “What!? There are some people who managed to achieve such an amazing feat?”

Old Plum smirks at Shin and said. “It is pretty much hard to achieve but these guys manage to do it. And it happened not too long ago. Hmm… One of it is should be twenty five years ago to be exact, while the other cases happened twenty three years ago.”

“One of them is able to achieve it through immoral means. He did a lot of experimental researches until he managed to create a new body for himself and shamelessly called it the ‘Ultimate Body’. And with that body, he managed to combine Martial-Arts and Mentalism.”

“But most of the people still rejecting his idea because of the immoral things that he have done. The World Government even hunt him down because of those.”

“But he is quite strong because of his newly found strength so capturing him is quite hard. And he always managed to escape every time he is about to lose the battle.”

“He addressed himself as ‘Frankenstein’. And because of his repeated escape from the hands of the World Government, his reputation on the underworld suddenly skyrocket and he managed get some followers because of that.”

“And with that, he manage to create a massive Underworld Organization and called it ‘Hextech Laboratory’. Then, the World Government suddenly discovered that he is also the real initiator behind the ‘Project Genius’ of twenty year ago and its immoral acts.”

“And after the World Government destroyed the project, ‘Frankenstein’ suddenly disappeared together with his organization.”

Shin clicked his tongue after hearing that. “Tsk! I also read about that ‘Project Genius’ from Grandpa’s library, and that project is a sure evil.”

Old Plum take a sip on tea that suddenly came out of nowhere. Then he continue after wetting his throat. “The others after that guy are pretty much amazing if you personally ask me.”

“Two years after the incident of ‘Project Genius’ happened, another guy appeared. He is a Dual-Practioner with some fearsome talent. His name is ‘Jan Mateo’.”

Old Plum pause for a moment to look at Shin before continuing. “But one day, he was devour by the ‘Seed of Hatred’ inside his heart and turned into a ‘Demon’.”

“And during those time, he slaughtered a lot of innocent people together with the agents sent by the World Government.”

“And when the World Government is on their wits end, another fearsome genius appeared. And this new guy is also wielding the supreme peak class talent, and he is called ‘Adam’.”

“Those two battled for two straight days until the Demon was defeated by Adam. After that, Adam leave with some injuries. Then Jan Mateo miraculously survived the Demonic Possession.”

“But some people suspected that his body was completely seize by his inner demon because his personality suddenly change after that incident. And together with that, Jan Mateo suddenly able to combine his Martial-Art Skills and Mentalism Techniques.”

“The World Government tried to hunt him down but he is too strong for their experts at that time. What’s more, he created an organization that can rival the World Government and called it the ‘Dark Hall’.”

“And the people of the Martial-Art Circle give him a title of ‘Great Demon’ because of the feats the have achieved.”

Shin turn silent after hearing this story. It is because he felt something unexplainable when he heard it, or to be more precise, it is when he hears the name ‘Adam’.

And since Shin can’t get a hold on that strange feeling properly, he brushed it off almost immediately.

He look Old Plum and said. “One of them managed to fuse Mentalism and Martial-Arts through some immoral experiments while the other achieved it after being seize by an inner Demon. Is there any other way that is pretty much ethical and safer?”

Old Plum smiled mysteriously and said. “There is! And that is when this certain couple came in.”

“The ‘Great Demon’ Jan Mateo can’t take the humiliation from his lost against ‘Adam’ so he lead some of his powerful subordinates to hunt the latter down.”

“But even if Jan Meteo is stronger than Adam in a one-on-one battle because he is a Dual-Practioner that can use a combined Martial-Art and Mentalism, the latter is still an unrivaled genius that have a fearsome talent.”

“And this time, their battle ended in a draw. Jan Mateo still can’t take that there is someone as strong as him after his transformation, so with his orders, his subordinates and him gang up on Adam.”

“And during that time, Adam’s friends managed to arrived and come for his rescue. And on this battle, Adam and his wife, Evangeline Rose, a prodigy of Mentalism, did something that the old generation failed to achieved.”

“Adam combine his Martial-Arts with Evangeline Rose’s Mentalism while the latter did the other way around. The Jan Mateo and his group suffered a crashing defeat in their hands because of the unimaginable battle prowess that they shown.”

“There are a lot of speculations how the couple did that, but none of them were proven right. But the most accepted speculation and the one that is most likely closer on truth, what they did is the real way of using the ‘Secret Arts’ created by the previous generations.”

Shin don’t know why but his heart is keep beating faster after hearing all of that. His blood suddenly boils for some unknown reason. And he felt that a door suddenly opened in front of him and it is leading him to a new world.

He unconsciously clenched his hands, squinted his eyes while having a determined look on his face.

…