Chapter 122: First fusion

Sometimes, even Kai found himself surprised by the rewards granted by the system. After all, gifting flowers to the woman he loved was hardly an extraordinary feat. It was something any decent partner could do.

And yet...

[Quest: Gift flowers to your partner for the first time.]

[Reward: Mole’s Nose]

[Description: A skill that enhances the host’s olfactory senses tenfold, extending their effective range to two kilometers. The host can easily distinguish between different scents, even when they are faint or mixed with others.]

[Host, when combined with the Blind Rune, this skill can produce a powerful perception technique.]

Kai hummed in surprise. ’I can do that?’

[Indeed, host. The compatibility between these two skills is remarkably high. To initiate the fusion, the host simply needs to issue the command.]

[However, 500 SP will also be required.]

[Current Balance: 9500 SP]

Kai gave a wry grin at the message. Of course, there had to be a price.

Regardless, he was curious to see what kind of ability the fusion would produce.

’I hope this gives me a better skill to use.’

[The host can rest assured.]

Kai took a deep breath before muttering, "Okay, go ahead."

[Command Accepted.]

[Sacrificing Rune of the Blind and Mole’s Nose...]

[Fusion is about to begin...]

While the system worked on the fusion, Kai turned his attention toward Jean. She was busy finishing the dishes, even though he had offered to help her.

"Are you free after this?" he suddenly asked.

Jean hummed and glanced over her shoulder. "Is it about the thing you mentioned this morning?"

Kai looked surprised. "Oh, you remember that?"

Jean gave him a dry smile and nodded. "Yes, I do."

He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of her reaction, but he decided to get straight to the point.

"After you finish here, let’s all go for a walk around the community."

Jean nodded in agreement before making a request of her own. "Can you bring Elli’s stroller in the meantime? I’ll finish up here and get changed."

"Sure."

Kai rose from his seat and was about to head toward the room when he noticed Elara waving at him from the dining table.

He smiled and waved back at his little daughter before making his way toward the storage room.

At this point, most of the rooms in the house had practically become storage spaces, since they only used two rooms regularly. The stroller was kept in one of them.

He had bought it recently because it was convenient, and Elara seemed to enjoy riding in it as well.

[Host, the fusion is complete.]

[New skill unlocked!]

[Skill: World Echo]

[Rank: A]

[Description: A skill that allows the host to release a magical droplet as a pulse into the surroundings. The pulse gathers information about everything it encounters within its range and transmits it back to the host, creating a detailed mental map of the surrounding environment, including living beings, structures, and hidden objects.]

Kai nodded in understanding.

’This sounds nice.’

He considered the description for a moment before asking, ’So, I can perceive everything in my immediate surroundings, just like a radar or something?’

[Indeed, host.]

Kai paused briefly before deciding to test the skill.

[Host can adjust the scanning range by varying the amount of mana invested in the skill.]

After reading the message, Kai decided to begin with a quick scan of his immediate surroundings.

He activated the skill and released a faint droplet of mana into the air. Manipulating mana had become second nature to him, so controlling the amount he released was hardly a challenge.

’Ah!’

Kai couldn’t help exclaiming as the droplet expanded, spreading throughout the house and reaching every corner.

Only then did he truly understand how the skill worked.

He could perceive everything around him, from the doors and curtains to Jean in the kitchen and the little girl sitting at the table. Yet, he wasn’t seeing them in the conventional sense.

Instead, everything appeared as a distinct outline, with its unique signature allowing him to distinguish one object from another. The walls, furniture, and other structures formed a clear picture in his mind, while the presence of living beings stood out in a way that felt entirely different from ordinary sight.

Even the scents around him seemed to register more clearly. He could faintly detect the air freshener in the dining area, along with the lingering fragrance of Jean’s body wash.

’Man, don’t sniff that,’ he scolded himself, immediately pulling his thoughts back on track.

A moment later, Kai slowly opened his eyes.

The pulse disconnected from him, and the strange world of heightened perception vanished, leaving him with nothing but his ordinary senses once again.

"This is actually great for scouting. I won’t have to keep using the rune stone over and over again." Kai couldn’t help feeling pleased with his new skill. It would allow him to check whether an area was safe before entering, giving him a clear picture of his surroundings without exposing himself to unnecessary danger.

His Sage Eye could accomplish something similar, but World Echo had the advantage of covering a much wider area. Not to mention, the amount of mana required to activate it was remarkably low, making it an excellent skill for repeated use.

"Kai?"

Hearing Jean’s voice, he flinched slightly before remembering that he was supposed to be going on a walk with his family.

"Yeah, coming!"

He grabbed the stroller and stepped out of the room.

Outside, Jean stood waiting with Elara in her arms, her eyebrows raised as she regarded him curiously.

"Were you busy with something?"

Kai immediately shook his head and took Elara from her before carefully settling their little girl into the stroller.

"Not at all. Let’s get going."

It was time to discuss something important with her.

°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please help the future readers by leaving a review. And also, join my discord since I sometimes post images there too.