Chapter 127: Karma’s Balance

Settling in, Rachel closed her eyes and entered her inner world to level up. A half-smile lifted her lips upon seeing a big, cozy room with a fireplace and clothing designs drawn on paper tacked to the walls. In the bed across from her was a bandaged, divine woman, tucked into bed and resting.

Nia, you can do medical work? How did you treat Nike? she asked, walking to the bed to inspect the bunny’s work. It looks...good. I’m surprised.

"Aww, thanks, Major! I was—what do you mean you’re surprised?!" she snarled, and Rachel could see the steam puffing out of her ears.

"I took a medical Feat in that Halloween spooky moon scary fight to help her. Humph. It helped me restore myself, too, because I’m smart, and I knew that if Nike was inside me, then my restoring power would extend to her. Am I smart or what, Major?! It totally worked."

Carefully inspecting her, Rachel gently rolled her over to examine her back, where tiny nubs were starting to grow, slathered in some kind of salve.

No, that is smart... Her wings are growing back?

"H-Hey! Don’t bother her, meanie! Let her rest... She’s really hurt. I think she needs to rest a lot to wake up."

Okay, Doctor Bun, Rachel whispered, tucking the ravaged Personification of Victory back into bed. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

Her left eye creased upon seeing Nia’s outfit upgrade selection open up while moving to an armchair beside the bed. It seemed they could both make selections, but it hadn’t been that way before. Rachel had to wonder if allowing Nia to make her own choices would promote further growth or if doing it together would be best.

Nia, did you use one Feat, one Synchro, and three Style points? I thought you were going to wait for me to go through the Synchro one when you were an adult.

"Oh, uh, yeah... I kind of...did use it to link closer to your, umm, spirit, as a Soul Item, umm... It just helps me...not be as scared. Sorry! I know I should have asked, but it’s how you can see my stuff now. I just... I’m really scared, and I wanted t-to not... I thought you might abandon me! I wanted to know how to make you happy..."

Nia... Rachel sighed, looking over some of the things the girl had chosen for herself; she should have expected something like this from a five-year-old’s temperament. She may still have some of that dog in her as a soldier, but her age regression had nerfed her mental and emotional state by quite a bit.

"Are you mad at me... I-I’ll get you b-better clothes—the black kind that you like!"

It’s okay, Nia, she soothed. You’re doing great. I’m not going to abandon you.

"I’m...not defective goods?" she sniffed. "I’m a little bunny outfit now, though... I’m not cool anymore..."

You’re alright just the way you are, Nia. I can like both the cool older Nia and the cute bunny-girl Nia at the same time. So soldier up, and let’s get this win. ’Kay?

"Okay! And...thank you for not getting mad at me. I want to be useful..."

Rachel’s brow furrowed as she pressed on the Soul-Link Synchronization Feat, leaning against the side of her chair and bringing her knuckle up to her mouth.

Nia, did you know that if you get closer to my spirit, then you can also share in my Feats, and I can share in yours? At the next tier, I can use one of a few selective Feats.

"Is that...good?" Nia slowly asked.

It’s huge... It increases the maximum number of Equipable Feats that I can have. You already share in my Lunar Pools because that’s what you were designed for, but if you can now share in my Feats, then...you could become a real partner.

"I want that!" Nia squealed. "I want to be a good partner! I’m a good soldier! I’ll be the bestest, Major! Please!"

Rachel didn’t even have to think twice, upgrading Nia’s link to her soul rather than putting it into the kinetic hammer she’d eaten. A strained smile came on as the potential Feat she could share with the bunny came up on the list.

[Less is More]... Great. Well, it is great, I suppose, she sighed. Now, my open skin will be protected, so a bullet to the face will probably hurt like hell, but I’ll probably live...with some damage, and its strength is based on my [Lunar Coat] Feat. Hmm.

"What does it do for me, Hops?!" Nia excitedly butted in. "Do I get super durability?!"

Linked...to a degree, Rachel whispered. It really is broken since it can resonate between us. Your clothing is enhanced, and my open skin is enhanced, but since you are the origin of the Feat, it is weaker for my open skin at the moment, until our souls are closer. It’s a start, though.

Having used Nia’s Feat and Synchro Points, she moved to the three available Style Points.

Hmm... I see you used three Style Points, two of which were to increase your Lunar Pool limit from two to four; it was a good call, Soldier. Good job.

Nia internally cheered at her praise, showing off to the Chinese deities like she was in a kid’s pageant. There were a few places she could tweak Nia’s support Style, from Attack to Defense to Utility.

If they grew closer together, Nia could take more from her own Attack and Defensive Feats, assisting her more in fights. They had to level together to complement each other in their own ways, which certainly made her aware of the advantages of a Soul Item, allowing them to advance in ways that could cover each other’s weaknesses.

The problem was that it now took two Style Points to gain a fifth Lunar Pool, but that was worth it since she was building up a huge stockpile of energy that could be used for later. The last one seemed fairly obvious: she sank it into the girl’s Solar Defense to shield from the energy.

Done with Nia’s upgrades, she was about to close out of the window to do her own when something else caught her eye; Nia’s inventory slots were not only subject to permanent additions. She could designate a few for general storage, which was certainly convenient, but until the need arose, it would be best to leave them open for designation.

Opening her own sheet, Rachel studied her options; she’d gained a Feat Slot, meaning she could now have four Feats equipped; she also got a new Feat, which meant there would still be one left out, and a passive caught her eye, likely gained after branching out from [Lunar Spike].

[Lunar Amplification I - Amplify Lunar Light, doubling [Lunar Pool] generation while above 50% and under moonlight.]

She considered how this could affect her other abilities, quickly hitting higher Stats with [Divine Lunar Surge] and [Lunar Cap]. She could see how important it would be to preserve her stored Pools, especially when she had downtime out of a moon. [Lunar Spike] could alleviate the problem, but she needed some way to restore the lost energy in those times.

Now, Feat Refinement was a big one. Multiplying her EXP with [Primal Force] was still under refinement. Her focus centered on [Bringer of Misfortune], which had proved itself in taking out a lesser god. If the Scarlet Hand feared her for her misfortune, then she’d refine that, but she choked when the time it would take popped up.

[Bringer of Misfortune II] - Refinement Time - 30 Days

How does that work? she snarled to Nia. [Primal Force X] is a week, and this is thirty days?!

"Don’t ask me," Nia mumbled. "I extorted a Chinese god for a new dress! Yes! I’m on fire!"

Or they want to see you in more of their style of clothes, Rachel mused. Either way, we win.

"Winning!"

Nearly done, Rachel swapped to her Stat Menu, puffing out a long sigh. It was hard to know where to put a single point. She could increase her Endurance further to go longer, but if she ended the fight sooner, then what was the problem? She sunk the point into Quickness to improve her reaction time, increasing it to three.

At the end of her road before meeting Conner in the arena, Rachel studied the newest, and probably most interesting, addition: she’d gained a limit break.

[Attack Feat Branch: Curse: Karma I - Retribution - Activate to show the target a small portion of the weight of their Karma, afflicting them with Karma’s Balance and tormenting or uplifting their souls as the scales swing.]

Getting to her feet, Rachel laughed at how vague it was, which was just like this System at times. She stood over Nike, taking in all the torture Dionysus had put the silver-haired woman through. If only she’d been able to exact her karma.

"Well, I guess we’ll see how it works soon enough...if I can fill up the Karma Bar on it. Interesting..."

Nia interrupted her, pulling Rachel out of her inner world.

"I think they’re ready for the next battle, Rachel. Are we ready? Oh, and you got me a new [Lunar Pool]! Thank you."

You’re welcome, Captain Bun... And as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s finish this Legend Quest.

The misty pier hazed, and she was standing in the middle of the stadium, Conner across from her, with dice hovering between them. Izanami and Eostre floated down, Nia hopping out of the air to land beside her with a proud grin, wearing a colorful, traditional Chinese hanfu.

"How do I look?!"

"Pretty. I don’t think it would be good battlewear, though," Rachel laughed.

"Yup! Yup!" Nia changed into her military outfit again, complete with Chinese hair accessories, and saluted her. "Ready for combat, Ma’am!"

Izanami giggled, rising to her feet and regaining her poised composure after her family left early. "Cute. Now... Shall we begin the death battle?"