Tokyo, Japan
Neon-lit antique street buzzed under the night sky. James stood before Yakumo's shop, his super vision piercing walls to a three-meter bronze Yamata no Orochi statue, the Rat Talisman glowing amber in its central head's third eye. "Intriguing," he said, pushing the door, bells chiming.
An elderly shopkeeper with round glasses greeted him. "Sir, interested in mythical sculptures? This is Edo-era—"
"How much?" James interrupted.
The shopkeeper squinted. "Thirty million yen, it's—"
A check slid across the counter. The shopkeeper's hands shook at the sight: three hundred million yen. Turing's work, James thought. Money's no issue.
Ten minutes later, in a warehouse, James studied the statue, its eight serpentine heads vivid. "Rat Talisman—life endowment. Let's see its limits." He touched the talisman.
Buzz! Light erupted, red runes spreading across the bronze. Roar! The statue shuddered, transforming into flesh, eight heads rising, red eyes locking onto James.
"Feisty," James remarked. The Orochi hesitated, sensing danger, then smashed through the ceiling, slithering toward the streets. James flashed ahead, blocking its path. Screams echoed as passersby fled the monster.
The Orochi's talisman glowed, its body swelling—ten meters, fifty, a hundred, dwarfing Tokyo Tower. Air raid sirens blared. "Now we're talking," James said, hovering before it, suppressing his power. "Show me what you've got."
Hiss! Eight heads attacked—poison mist, water blades, lightning, flames. James dodged elegantly, feigning narrow escapes, letting a lightning bolt graze his shoulder for show. Boom! A head knocked him into a building, dust rising. Civilians screamed, "He's hurt!" "Where's the JSDF?"
James emerged from the rubble, playing weak. The Orochi pressed, three heads biting. He rolled, "barely" dodging, as buildings crumbled. "Not bad, but Tony could dismantle you." The Orochi's scales turned metallic, attacks speeding up, the talisman pushing its limits.
"Alright, enough." James leaped hundreds of meters, conjuring a light orb—his power at a millionth strength. Boom! It struck the central head, collapsing the beast in an explosion. Amid civilian cheers, James retrieved the Rat Talisman, vanishing as news dubbed him "Black Knight."
Tokyo Bay, Abandoned Freighter
On the deck, James held the amber talisman. Its energy wasn't physical enhancement but a life-giving fountain. Fusing it, a magic array formed. [Ding! Rat Talisman hidden traits detected!]
[Combat Amplification: Animated objects gain continuous strengthening, up to 10% of host's energy, scaling with system upgrades.]
[Mythical Manifestation: Awakens objects' mythological traits.]
James infused a rusty nail with Rat energy. Buzz! It became a metal snake, coiling affectionately, its strength rising visibly. He targeted the freighter, energy surging. Boom! The ship morphed into a mechanical whale, armor strengthening at 2% per second, reaching 10% of his power.
"Not just toys—army creation," James mused, reverting the whale. Unlike the Monkey Talisman's transformative permanence, the Rat granted life with autonomy, less stable but potent. He could grant flight or aquatic breathing, even tardigrade resilience for longevity.
"Three left." His vision locked onto an underwater village in the Pacific, home to the Monkey Talisman. "Transformation power? Could it make a Sun Wukong? Would he have seventy-two transformations?" James pondered, rubbing his chin.
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