This is going to be a rather long chapter; I hope you enjoy it and don't get lost while reading. Thank you very much.
"Won't it be dangerous? After all, it comes from an Apostle of an Outer God," I asked cautiously.
"You have nothing to worry about; this energy source contains nothing that could harm you."
"After all, the Outer Gods likely see no need to install security protocols in the rewards they bestow upon their Apostles."
My expression remained skeptical.
"To dispel your doubts: this energy—as well as the Cores and Authorities—was created using my own life force; the very essence of life that sustains this planet."
"So, truly, you have nothing to fear; these two Cores are completely safe," Gaia finished explaining.
I am a rather cautious person, so I rarely do anything unless I am at least 50% certain that it is safe.
What? You don't think that's cautious enough? I'm a Jujutsu Sorcerer; we're all a little crazy.
If you aren't at least a little crazy, it becomes significantly harder to handle Cursed Energy with fluency.
"But what about the energetic corruption associated with the Cores?" Although I've never actually played *Honkai Impact 3rd*, I've read a ton of fanfics based on it, covering both the modern era and the Pre-Civilization era.
And I know that Honkai Energy can reduce you to dust if you lack the necessary resistance to it.
"That won't be a problem. Since these Cores were forged from my own stolen energy—rather than being naturally produced by the Imaginary Tree—they do not possess the radioactive or biohazardous properties that are typically harmful to living organisms," Gaia concluded.
As for Alaya, she remained silent. The reason? I have no idea.
Maybe he simply didn't feel like talking.
"Alright, then. So, how exactly does the fusion of these two energies work?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
After all, Cursed Energy is incredibly complex and possesses certain advantages that Honkai Energy lacks. But the most significant advantage is this: humans can generate Cursed Energy using nothing more than their own negative emotions. Honkai Energy, on the other hand, cannot be produced by humans; only a select few—those with high adaptability to it, as well as individuals bearing Stigmata—are capable of absorbing and manipulating it.
The only beings capable of producing Honkai Energy are the Herrschers.
Honkai Energy presents significant disadvantages, both in terms of its production and its usability by ordinary people.
Cursed Energy, however, is sustainable; if your reserves run dry, you can simply tap into negative emotions to generate more.
While this method may not yield the same volume of Cursed Energy as your standard reserves, it proves invaluable if you find yourself sealed within an environment devoid of ambient energy—the kind required to sustain Honkai Energy.
For instance, imagine you are in the heat of battle—perhaps relying on a specific tool—and you are suddenly teleported to a location where absolutely no Honkai Energy exists. If you run out of power, you have no choice but to fight hand-to-hand, stripped of the enhancements provided by Honkai Energy.
Cursed Energy, conversely, does not suffer from this disadvantage—unless, of course, your own ability to utilize Cursed Energy has been sealed away.
I snap out of my thoughts in a flash as I hear Gaia's voice.
"The new energy will be synthesized based on your preferences; you need only describe your ideas to me, and I will create it," Gaia replies, addressing my earlier inquiry. Without wasting any time, I begin thinking aloud, one hand resting on my chin while the other crosses my chest, gripping the elbow of the opposite arm.
"Cursed Energy is a form of spiritual energy capable of influencing the physical world at the user's will."
"Cursed Spirits can pass through walls because they are spiritual entities composed entirely of Cursed Energy, rather than physical matter. Given that they are, in essence, accumulations of negative emotions, they possess the ability to alter their form—becoming intangible—thereby allowing them to pass through solid objects or physical matter."
On the other hand, Honkai Beasts and Herrschers cannot pass through solid matter, which indicates that they are physical entities rather than spiritual ones.
What would be the best way to fuse these two energies into a single one without losing the benefits of either?
Cursed Energy is versatile and possesses many different applications, such as Shikigami—which anyone can learn to create—Simple Domains, Binding Vows, Barriers, Black Flash, and Reverse Cursed Technique.
Honkai Energy is simpler and does not offer as many benefits.
Unless you possess Stigmata or a Herrscher Core with special abilities, it serves only to physically strengthen the body—albeit with the consequence of turning you into a zombie—or even reducing you to dust—if you lack sufficient adaptability to Honkai Energy.
The potential benefits of Honkai Energy—at least in the context of a fusion with Cursed Energy—are almost nonexistent.
"Come to think of it, perhaps it would be better not to fuse the two energies," I mused inwardly.
But then, suddenly, I remembered something.
Earlier that morning, on my way to school, I had noticed something Miko hadn't paid much attention to: someone was in the midst of developing a virtual reality device.
I hadn't given it much importance either; after all, I still had to kill the Apostle of the Outer God and resolve the problem of souls transforming into malevolent spirits due to the broken cycle of reincarnation.
So, I had simply let it slide.
But now, a sudden idea struck me—provided, of course, that the specific person I had in mind actually existed in this world.
"I have a question: does a person named Kayaba Akihiko exist in this world?" I asked, my tone serious.
This time, it was Alaya who answered. As the embodiment of humanity's collective consciousness and its primordial instinct for survival, she possesses knowledge of every human being on the planet.
It is not that she knows every human on the planet in a personal sense...
Rather, if you provide her with a name, she can instantly determine whether or not that person exists in reality.
And, subsequently, she can access the entirety of their life's hopes and aspirations. "The individual identified as Kayaba Akihiko does, indeed, exist on this planet," Alaya replied. "That answers my questions," he said.
"Given that you have seen my memories, does that mean this is a crossover world?" he asked them.
"Yes," Gaia replied.
"However, some of the worlds that possess powers in your memories lack them in this world," Alaya concluded.
"This world possessed only a faint spiritual power; since it faced neither internal nor external threats, neither Alaya nor I deemed it necessary to establish a power system within it," Gaia concluded.
With her answers now provided, I know exactly how to resolve this problem in a single stroke.
So, I continued to muse aloud:
"If Akihiko Kayaba exists in this world, his desire to create the world of his dreams should remain unaltered.
So, what would happen if I were to fuse the capability of Honkai energy—to create and mutate anime characters into Honkai Beasts—with the capability of Cursed Energy to generate Cursed Spirits?
Cursed Energy would be the dominant force, while Honkai energy would serve as the secondary one.
The original Honkai energy could be described as something that produces a form of super-potent nuclear radiation if it accumulates in a specific area, thereby triggering the creation of Honkai Beasts.
One advantage Honkai energy possesses is that it does not dissipate from the affected zone; it remains there for a considerable time—if not forever.
Cursed Energy, on the other hand, disperses unless it is contained within a barrier or a Cursed Object—much like Yuta's ring in the *Jujutsu Kaisen* universe.
If I fuse this with Honkai energy's ability to remain localized for prolonged periods, that energy could be harvested via machinery and converted into electricity or other power sources.
This would eliminate the need to pollute the planet's atmosphere and oceans.
Consequently, humanity would be freed from environmental pollution, allowing the human race to inhabit the planet for far longer, thereby ensuring its long-term survival.
Furthermore, Cursed Energy also operates based on belief: if humans believe that Curses are born solely in Tokyo, then 99.99% of all Curses will, in effect, manifest in Tokyo—just as they do in the *Jujutsu Kaisen* universe." Having concluded my deliberations, I made my decision.
"Lady Gaia," I said in a serious tone, "I am ready."
"Proceed," Gaia replied. "Show me what you consider to be the correct course of action." "First and foremost, Cursed Energy shall be the dominant force, while Honkai Energy will be the one to fuse with it."
"This fusion will retain the majority of the original functions."
"The new energy will preserve the functions of Cursed Energy—such as the Black Flash, Shikigami creation, Barrier Techniques, Reverse Cursed Technique, Binding Vows, Cursed Techniques, and the generation of Curses derived from negative human emotions."
"To begin with, Cursed Energy will fuse with Honkai Energy, retaining all the aforementioned benefits."
"The new benefit—or perhaps detriment—associated with this new energy is that Cursed Spirits will become visible to all ordinary human beings. Given that Honkai Energy has fused with Cursed Energy, the resulting energy has acquired a specific characteristic: it becomes visible whenever it is present in a certain quantity and is condensed to a sufficient degree."
"For instance, Grade 4, 3, and 2 Cursed Spirits will not be visible if they are isolated; however, if a large number of these spirits converge in a single area, the new energy they emit will render them visible to ordinary people."
"Cursed Spirits of Grade 1 or higher will be visible to ordinary people due to their immense energy levels."
"Furthermore, Cursed Spirits will not arise solely from negative emotions."
"Given that this new energy will not dissipate following the annihilation of Cursed Spirits, once it accumulates to reach a certain threshold, 'Honkai Beasts'—or whatever they may be called in the future—will come into existence."
"As for how this new energy functions within individuals capable of wielding it, it operates in a manner very similar to Cursed Energy."
"Cursed Energy reserves, manipulation, generation, efficiency in application, and the refinement of these four elements to execute an attack."
"For instance, one is born with a specific amount of energy already present within their body."
"However, unlike conventional Cursed Energy, one's capacity for this energy can be expanded, limited only by the body's physical endurance."
"This new energy functions identically to traditional Cursed Energy: it is generated in the stomach and subsequently distributed throughout the entire body."
"Although [Aoi Todo] has postulated that sorcerers typically believe Cursed Energy originates from negative emotions within the stomach before being distributed—a process that creates a lag in the energy's flow—and that, to resolve this issue, one must instead *perceive* Cursed Energy as if it were being generated simultaneously throughout the entire body..."
"This constitutes a subtle mental trick—a form of self-deception—that allows Cursed Energy to flow uninterrupted throughout the body, thereby unlocking greater combat potential."
"Nevertheless, ultimately, it remains a mere illusion; the true core of Cursed Energy resides, unequivocally, in the stomach." "And if the core of Cursed Energy *doesn't* reside in the stomach, then explain to me why Satoru Gojo failed to heal himself using the Reverse Cursed Technique after being cut in half." "Although the core of Cursed Energy doesn't reside in the body—but rather in the soul, or to be more precise, in negative emotions—Cursed Energy is generated within a specific core located in the stomach; subsequently, it is stored throughout the entire soul, which is what allows you to channel and utilize it throughout your body." "And the new method for increasing this energy involves transforming the soul into a vessel—one that constantly strengthens itself to withstand ever-increasing amounts of energy."
As for the problem of *how*, exactly, these souls will be strengthened... well, I already have an idea for that—something I'll address later on.
"Although the core of this new energy will still be located in the stomach, if you were cut in half, you still wouldn't be able to heal yourself using the Reverse Cursed Technique."
After all, if you don't possess sufficient proficiency in the Reverse Cursed Technique, you'll be left with scars even after healing—not to mention the sheer impossibility of regenerating the entire lower half of your body.
"The manipulation of this new energy... the degree of control you exert over it..."
"Energy production..." My explanation is cut short by the sound of Miko's confused voice.
"Rin, I don't get it. I think I got lost somewhere along the way—right when you started explaining the benefits of the fusion," says Miko, wearing an expression of utter bewilderment.
"I think I'll sum it up in a few words," I say, making sure not a trace of my embarrassment shows in my voice.
But thanks to our connection, Miko senses my embarrassment—the embarrassment of being a terrible teacher when it comes to explaining things.
Two days have already passed since that incident with the Apostle of the Outer God, and Miko remained unconscious for a full twenty-four hours.
As for the reason? I don't know. I'm not some omniscient protagonist who knows everything.
Anyway, let's get back to the summary.
"In a nutshell: Cursed Spirits ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 2 are invisible; however, those of Grade 1 and Special Grade are visible to ordinary human beings."
"The source of this energy lies in the negative emotions generated deep within the core of the soul; the soul itself then acts as a vessel for this new Cursed Energy."
"You either are born with—or eventually awaken—a certain baseline amount of Cursed Energy. This capacity can increase depending on how much of this new energy your soul is capable of withstanding. Furthermore, this Cursed Energy can be channeled from any part of the body, just like the Cursed Energy of old."
"To put it simply, your *Total Cursed Energy* can be understood as an individual's overall energy reserve."
"*Cursed Energy Manipulation* refers to your proficiency in controlling said energy—specifically, how quickly and skillfully you can apply it to tasks such as reinforcing your body, empowering weapons, and so on, all while minimizing any energy waste."
"*Cursed Energy Efficiency* refers to using the absolute minimum amount of energy required to perform a single action. The less energy you expend on a given action—while maintaining maximum effectiveness—the higher your efficiency." "*Cursed Energy Output*—or production—represents the maximum amount of energy you can unleash in a single action." "In essence, the higher your output, the greater the amount of Cursed Energy you can unleash at a single time. To put it even more simply: imagine you want to create fire. If you have low output, you might only be able to conjure a fireball the size of a tennis ball; but if you have high output, you could conjure a fireball the size of a three-story house." "And, finally, refinement. Simply put, refinement refers to the level of perfection you demonstrate in the way you utilize your Cursed Energy and your techniques."
"What factors determine your refinement?"
"The pillars of Cursed Energy—excluding refinement itself—are reserves, manipulation, efficiency, and output. Refinement, on the other hand, measures how polished you are; it evaluates how fluidly you integrate the act of using Cursed Energy—its manipulation, its output, and its overall effectiveness—into a single, seamless action."
I finish my explanation, and Miko looks at me with an expression that seems to say: "Now I get it."
"But I have a question, Rin," Miko says.
"Yes? Go ahead," I reply.
"If I'm not mistaken, the only benefits this new Cursed Energy offers are that it can be converted into other energy sources—such as electricity—and that the Cursed Energy itself won't dissipate."
"Ordinary humans will be able to see Cursed Spirits of Grade 1 and above, and we'll be able to increase our own energy reserves," Miko says, sounding a bit bewildered.
"Literally, the only beneficial aspects are a new energy source and the ability to increase our Cursed Energy reserves," Miko concludes.
"That's just the surface. Although I didn't explicitly mention it, Cursed Energy has absorbed all the characteristics of Honkai Energy. So, every now and then, a Herrscher or two might emerge... and perhaps even an Emperor-class Honkai Beast," I say with a smile. Miko simply sighs. "This new Cursed Energy brings with it far more disadvantages than benefits."
Honkai Beast Hierarchy
Seraph Class: This is the lowest and weakest category. These beasts typically appear in large numbers and can be easily defeated by rookie B-rank Valkyries.
Knight Class: Stronger than those of the Seraph Class, these beasts often feature armor or more defined physical forms. Eliminating them requires a standard level of combat proficiency.
Chariot Class: Beasts of considerable size; generally slow-moving, but possessing great physical durability.
Templar Class: Possess more advanced defensive or offensive capabilities, such as energy shields or ranged attacks.
Emperor Class: Represent a significant regional threat. They constitute the second most powerful class, and subduing them typically requires a coordinated formation of A-rank Valkyries. A well-known example is Ganesha.
Judgment Class: The highest power level for a Honkai Beast. They possess the ability to unleash global-scale disasters or destroy entire cities single-handedly.
Vipralopa Class: An extremely rare and powerful classification mentioned in the records of Project MANTIS, associated with beings such as Asura or Parvati.