"Communication is essentially the need to be known. In simple terms, it's about popularity."
Kaizen thought for a moment.
"Take Natsu, for example."
"Right now, Natsu is fused with Ryunosuke Akutagawa."
"Natsu still exists, but Akutagawa Ryunosuke is gone."
"To be precise, Ryunosuke Akutagawa has now become a shadow."
"If I want to enhance the fusion between Natsu and Akutagawa Ryunosuke, I need to increase Akutagawa's spreadability—that is, his popularity."
"For me, the best way would be to publish the Bungou Stray Dogs manga."
"Make it available for free across this world's networks."
"Use Altan's ability to promote it."
"That way, Akutagawa Ryunosuke's name will spread further."
"The wider the reach, the higher Akutagawa's popularity, which in turn boosts Natsu's fusion."
"But there's a risk."
"If I distribute Bungou Stray Dogs, people will learn about Akutagawa Ryunosuke's ability."
"That means the secrets of my Nen Beast will be exposed."
"Is it worth it?"
"Will the power gained from the spread of the manga outweigh the risk of revealing my Nen Beast's abilities?"
"I need to think this through carefully before making a decision."
"But before that..."
Kaizen focused his thoughts.
Natsu materialized before him.
Kaizen had gained the ability to fuse Natsu with Akutagawa Ryunosuke after passing the trial in the Kurta clan's proving grounds.
However, Kaizen had since developed a more advanced technique—
Not only could he fuse two Nen Beasts,
He could also strengthen the fusion by increasing the spread of shadowed figures.
Beyond that, this ability introduced a new variable: matching points.
Different Nen Beasts had varying degrees of compatibility.
The higher the matching points, the stronger the fusion.
"This ability surpasses what I originally gained from the Kurta trial."
From Kaizen's experience—
The more restrictions and oaths a Nen ability had, the more powerful it became when utilized correctly.
Take Kaizen's Observer's Will, for example.
It demanded extensive preparation time.
Or the Lantern Ghost's pain-sharing mechanism—its conditions were equally severe.
Even within the Phantom Troupe, Chrollo's Skill Hunter required numerous conditions to function.
"I wouldn't say it's outright better, but at the very least, it's better suited to me."
"This ability hinges on two factors: Spreadability and Matching Points."
"Both influence the strength of the fusion."
Kaizen concentrated. A surge of aura enveloped Natsu.
Moments later, a phantom shadow emerged from within him.
It condensed into the figure of Ryunosuke Akutagawa.
Kaizen glanced toward a surveillance monitor.
At this location, no cameras could see him, and Killua and the others weren't proficient in Nen.
Uchiha Sasuke, Raiken, Lantern Ghost, Chitong...
Aside from Altan, all of his Nen Beasts appeared.
"Second Shadow."
Kaizen began pairing them off.
Though he couldn't focus on spreading popularity at the moment, he could work on the matching points.
Carefully, Kaizen recorded each pairing's compatibility.
After some time, he arrived at a conclusion.
"The best matches are these—"
"Natsu and Raiken: 91 points."
"Uchiha Sasuke and Akutagawa Ryunosuke: 93 points."
"Every other pair falls below 80 points."
"Even if I absorb new traits from the Hunter Exam and create additional Nen Beasts, their compatibility likely won't reach this level."
"Furthermore, I can't guarantee that my absorption progress during the exam will reach 100%."
"The development of my ninth Nen Beast remains uncertain."
"So, for now, these fusion combinations are my best bet."
With that in mind, Kaizen made his move.
"Merge!"
Raiken's form enveloped Natsu.
Akutagawa Ryunosuke fused into Uchiha Sasuke.
The two pairs began to integrate.
An intense pressure exploded outward.
Kaizen quickly drew a containment circle on the ground.
Natsu and Uchiha Sasuke vanished into the space of Sumas.
At the same time, Chitong, Lantern Ghost, and Killer Queen disappeared.
"The fusion process isn't instantaneous."
"It'll take about ten hours."
"I wonder what the final result will be."
"But one thing's certain—it'll be stronger than the previous fusion between Natsu and Akutagawa Ryunosuke."
"After all, the matching points are higher."
Kaizen anticipated the outcome.
"Logically speaking, fusing Natsu with Raiken should enhance Natsu's combat ability."
"Natsu should gain the power to switch positions."
"And inherit the gravity-enhancing effects of Libra's Gravity Game."
"However, it's hard to predict what will happen when Uchiha Sasuke and Akutagawa Ryunosuke fuse."
"Once the fusion is complete, I can focus on the spread factor."
"How I go about it will depend on the fusion's final effect."
If Natsu gains obvious traits from Raiken, Kaizen will have to be cautious. Publishing Raiken's story could expose Natsu's abilities.
But if Natsu's fusion with Raiken remains subtle, then Kaizen can safely promote Raiken's story. This would strengthen Natsu without revealing critical information.
"But what exactly governs the power boost from spreadability?"
Kaizen recalled something Zeno had once mentioned about Nen.
Nen was the manipulation of life energy.
It consisted of physical and mental energy.
While physical energy had a natural limit,
Mental energy could grow far beyond it.
Kaizen then remembered how the Kute Gang once spread havoc across Meteor City.
"Communication… popularity… is this essentially collecting the spiritual energy of readers and viewers?"
"That makes sense."
"Negative emotions like resentment, fear, and terror can be harvested."
"So why not positive emotions—admiration, respect, devotion?"
"By that logic, shouldn't popular celebrities naturally develop into powerful Nen users?"
"Yet, that doesn't seem to be the case."
"There must be another variable at play—one I haven't fully understood yet."
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