Jack contemplated.
Each had a potential niche. But he needed something that diversified his combat options. Something that could provide an edge against different types of enemies.
Judge Jack was basically the brute force. Jack Night was the one armed with steamrune technology pieces. Jack Mystery handled stealth, illusion, and magic.
What was missing?
Speed. Agility. The ability to strike fast. Quickly. Efficiently. And then disengage before the enemy could react. A form that could dance around opponents. Or chase agile enemies.
The choice became clear. He would choose [MONSTER INCARNATION: KAMAITACHI].
"Kamaitachi it is." Jack murmured. His voice was a low, raspy whisper. Unheard by anyone but himself. "Let's see what kind of whirlwind of judgement it can unleash."
The notification shimmered. Then faded. A subtle shift rippled through Jack's ethereal form. A new incarnation blueprint now residing within his very being. Awaiting manifestation.
The alleyway was was still a grimy passage in the heart of Lonestone. The three sailors remained. Still locked in their individual hells. Their faces contorted in silent, eternal screams. But soon, they would awaken, broken.
Jack drifted out. He moved with purpose towards the nearest building. The Lonestone Capital City was a sprawling beast of brick and steel. Finding a reflective surface was never an issue here.
He quickly found a large plate-glass window. Showcasing some opulent but uninteresting display. Providing the perfect entry point. He stretched out an invisible hand to it.
[Mysterious Mirror World] was activated. The night life noise of the city vanished. Replaced by the hushed, comfortable silence of his personal Mirror Space.
Inside, he activated [Incarnation Shift]. Choosing his new form. Kamaitachi. The spectral tendrils that constituted his current form began to writhe. Condensing. Shifting.
His body compressed. Then elongated. His spectral limbs thickened, solidifying into furred muscle.
A sharp, almost metallic clack echoed. As claws and blades formed at his extremities. His head reshaped. Snout emerging. Ears perking. Very soon, the shift completed.
It was no longer the drawn-out, minute-long transformation. This was much quicker, more fluid. Just about ten seconds. The speed of his {Incarnation Shift] was upgraded again.
Jack stood. Or rather, hovered. An entirely different being. He looked down at himself. Small. Definitely small. No bigger than a toddler. No longer the normal sized specter. Or the hulking rakshasa. Or the broad-shouldered human.
This form was compact. Bipedal. And impossibly fast, even in stillness. A weasel, almost. Its fur was a vibrant, deep grey. With streaks of white around its chest and face.
Bladed arms, impossibly sharp and curved. Ended in three-fingered hands. And a long, prehensile tail swished lazily behind him. Tipped with another formidable blade.
He wore a pair of sleek, dark goggles. Perched on his forehead. And a surprisingly elegant, short fur coat. Also dark in color. Draped over his shoulders. Its material seemed to shimmer with kinetic energy.
He immediately called upon his [Eyes of Judgement]. The familiar overlay appeared, displaying his current status.
[CHARACTER STATUS]
[Name: Jack Night]
[Incarnation Type: Monster]
[Persona: ???]
[Race: Kamaitachi]
[Class: -]
[Archetype: Mythical Creature]
[Power Source: Spirit of Judgement]
[Attributes: Physique (88) Mysticism (43) Passion (99) Essence (99)]
[Karma: Positive]
[System Sight Modes: Eyes of Judgement]
[Supernatural Traits: Mysterious Anomaly; Mysterious Mirror World; Incarnation Shift; Treasure Detecting Radar]
[Permanent Traits: Mysterious Nature; Mythical Adaptation; Dominator Physique]
[Characteristics: Mysterious Nature - Paralysis Immunity, Illusion Immunity]
[Characteristics: Mythical Adaptation - Cold Immunity; Pressure Immunity; Shock Immunity; Bleeding Immunity; Imbalance Immunity; Madness Immunity; Poison Immunity; Lightning Immunity; Heat Immunity; Hyper Regeneration; Aphrodisiac Immunity]
[Characteristics: Dominator Physique - Dominating Aura; Inexhaustible Stamina; Mystical Metabolism; Rapid Energy Absorption; Enhanced Libido; Subjugating Intercourse]
[Status Effect: *Wind Child]
[Personal Artifact: *Monster Goggles; *Monster Fur Coat; Nine-Anchor Portal Ring; Chains of Vengeance]
Jack examined the new entries in his system panel. Trying to understand the full extent of his new abilities.
He noticed that his Incarnation Type had changed to Monster. And his Race was now Kamaitachi. He wanted to check them. But...
First order of business would be the persona. He mentally selected the unset prompt. As for the content... [Persona: ???] quickly changed to [Persona: Racer Jack]. It should fit. He would be a speedster in this form.
He then began to systematically evaluate the new entries. Pulling up their system descriptions.
[Incarnation Type: Monster. A mythical creature born of primal forces, raw philosophical concept, or the unique confluence of esoteric phenomena. Monsters possess an inherent, often untamed, power that manifests as highly specialized physical capabilities, unique sensory perceptions, or direct manipulation of natural phenomena. They grew through mastery of their innate status effect rather than learned skills. They are mostly driven by instinct or the pursuit of their unique abilities.]
Jack nodded slowly. Physical capabilities, sensory perceptions, natural phenomena. That aligned perfectly with the Kamaitachi's reputation for speed and wind manipulation.
It also meant a different kind of progression. Less about grinding skills. Or learning spells. More about pushing the boundaries of what its status effect (Wind Child) could achieve. Simply utilizing its power. Good. Diversity in power was always a strength.
Next...
[Race: Kamaitachi. A mythical creature originating from isolated mountainous region. Often depicted as a small, weasel-like being riding on gusts of wind. Kamaitachi are renowned for their unparalleled speed, agility, and the razor-sharp blades that form their limbs and tails. Their innate connection to wind allows them to manipulate air currents, creating miniature cyclones, vacuum blades, or enhancing their own movement to near-teleportation speeds. They possess heightened senses, particularly acute hearing and an almost preternatural awareness of subtle air movements.]
"Unparalleled speed." Jack murmured in surprisingly high-pitched, almost whistling sound. It was the voice of the new Kamaitachi form.
"Miniature cyclones, vacuum blades, wind manipulation... and movement enhancement." This was it.
The core of Racer Jack. The ability to move faster than the eye could follow. To strike with surgical precision. To leave chaos in his wake before anyone knew he was there.
This was the ultimate hit-and-run build. The perfect terror weapon for the guilty. He could already imagine the possibilities. Slicing through security systems. Disarming opponents before they even reacted. Or simply appearing and disappearing at will to drive his targets insane.
Striking a target without them knowing until it was too late. That would be this Racer Jack's kind of justice.
And then...
[Archetype: Mythical Creature. This Archetype designates beings that exist outside the common biological and supernatural classifications of the world. Often having origins rooted in ancient folklore, primal forces, world law, or unique planar energies. Mythical Creatures do not progress through standard practice or absorbing energy, but rather through the deepening of their connection to their intrinsic nature. Their power is often tied to their legend, making them more formidable the more their legend spreads.]
This was interesting. The idea of his power growing as his 'legend spreads' was... nice. It seemed that Racer Jack would need to appear often and become a living myth. A harbinger of judgement that would only grow stronger the more he was known and discussed.
Next would be...
[Status Effect: Wind Child. A permanent innate connection to wind that allows them to sense and manipulate air currents.]
Sensing and manipulating air currents. So, the only way to progress in this incarnation form would be to deepen this ability. Sensing and manipulating wind. Further in distance and magnitude. Acceptable challenge.
And then...
[Personal Artifact: Monster Goggles. A pair of dark goggles uniquely attuned to the sensory perception of the Kamaitachi form. When worn, they enhance high-speed visual processing, allowing the user to perceive and react to environments even when moving at extreme velocities. They provide advanced optical modes, including thermal vision, night vision, and a unique 'Kinetic Sight' that visualizes air currents, kinetic energy flows, and potential trajectories of moving objects or beings.]
Jack understood. The personal artifact was basically the adjusted version of Judge Jack's Judgement Warhammer for this form. He expected it to be weapon though.
But, this was perfect. Moving at blinding speed was useless if he couldn't see what he was hitting. Or if he ran headlong into an obstacle. These goggles made him not just fast. But aware at speed.
Furthermore, it allowed him to pre-visualize impacts and predict movement trajectories. This was precision on an entirely new level. He could dissect a situation in milliseconds. Exploit an opening. And vanish before a normal being could even blink.
[Personal Artifact: Monster Fur Coat. A short fur coat that is, in fact, a hyper-dense, hyper-kinetic garment intrinsically linked to the Kamaitachi's movements. It passively absorbs kinetic energy from the user's motion, storing and converting it to enhance cutting power. The coat's material dampens sound, making the user's movements almost entirely silent regardless of speed, It also allowed the user to traverse air currents with minimal energy expenditure, almost as if surfing the wind.]
Jack grinned. The coat wasn't just fashionable. It was an energy accumulator, a defensive layer, and a sound dampener. He could run, build up energy, then release it to empower his blades with slicing wind. The silent movement was invaluable for his predatory style.
Jack felt the surge of new power. A different kind of strength flowing through his bladed limbs. This form was the embodiment of speed. Of surgical precision. And of terrifying elusiveness.
Racer Jack.
He grinned. A sharp, toothy expression on his new weasel-like face. Lonestone City had just gained a new, impossibly fast phantom. And the guilty wouldn't know what hit them. Until the wind whistled past their ears. And it was already too late.
He was ready to test these new limits. The Mirror Space shimmered. He was eager to return to the real world. To feel the rush of the city's air as he moved through it. Faster than anything else alive.