Biocore Fusion  

The next morning, Nioh emerged from his room, transformed. His long gray hair was braided into a slick-back style, with a few strands left hanging to frame his striking green and golden eyes. He wore a dark, full-body suit emblazoned with the Glev family insignia—a lightning bolt etched over the heart. His polished appearance stood in stark contrast to the disheveled figure of the previous day.

X was the first to greet him in the hallway. "Good morning, Young Master!"

"Good morning, Sir X! What's on the schedule for today?" Nioh replied with a cheerful smile.

"Today, you'll have lessons with Marsai, followed by a discussion about your training," X informed him.

"Understood!" Nioh said, nodding as he made his way to the dining room.

At the breakfast table, Cryo was already seated, casually eating. He barely acknowledged Nioh's arrival and made no attempt to greet him. Nioh, unfazed, served himself with the air of royalty, piling his plate high. Cryo's disdainful gaze burned into him, but Nioh ignored it, eating the equivalent of seven days' rations with deliberate ease.

Once he finished, he stood and left without a word, heading toward the study to meet Marsai, his appointed teacher.

Marsai awaited him at the study door, her posture impeccable. She dipped into a formal bow. "Good morning, Young Master."

"I already told you to dispense with the formalities," Nioh said, his tone polite but firm.

"I recall, but if we forgo protocol entirely, Master may never learn it," she replied with a measured smile.

"Fair enough," he conceded. "Let's go in."

Marsai hesitated. "Young Master, protocol dictates that the individual of the highest rank enters last."

"Is that so? What's the hierarchy, then?" he asked curiously.

Marsai opened the door but didn't step inside. "A good question. The highest rank in the fiefdom is the Monarch, followed by the Empress, then the heir, and lastly, the princes. Occasionally, senior elders are considered above the heir in certain contexts."

"And the fiefdom itself? What is its structure like currently?"

"The Absolute Monarch oversees seven biohives—the most of any monarch in history. Beneath him are seven Wardens, responsible for defending these biohives, and a Grand Council, which handles major decisions. The council is composed of elders from the Glev family's various branches and some recruited talents."

Marsai stepped aside, allowing Nioh to enter first. As they seated themselves, she continued, "In the Monarch's direct line, only the Monarch, the Empress, the heir, you, and the twin princes remain. Beyond that, there are five elders of the Monarch's generation and five dukes, each of whom could theoretically challenge for the heir position."

"The Empress?" Nioh inquired.

"Yes, the mother of the heir and wife of the Monarch. You should address her as 'Empress Mother' or 'Queen Mother.'"

Nioh nodded, absorbing the information. "What are the political factions like?"

"There are two main factions," Marsai explained. "The Conservatives, who staunchly support the Glev direct bloodline, and the Progressives, who push for a meritocratic approach to leadership. However, both factions heavily invest in talent, protecting and nurturing their youth to maintain power and a competitive edge over other monarchs."

"And the responsibilities of the heir?"

"The same as any member of the fiefdom: conquest. They must explore cradle zones, gather resources, and secure treasures. A Monarch's strength is rarely mobilized, so it falls to the younger generation to contend for resources and, in doing so, prove their worth."

"I see." Nioh leaned back slightly. "What do you think about me?"

Marsai hesitated briefly. "If I may speak freely, Young Master—you are the illegitimate son of the Monarch in a society that values nobility. From birth, you've been considered impure. You grew up in the ghetto, burdened with a physical disability. Your only viable path is through domination. To convince people of your worth, you'll need to subdue them."

"But I don't care if people are convinced," Nioh said, his voice sharp.

"You may not care," Marsai said softly, "but people will come looking for you regardless."

Nioh sighed, rubbing his temples. "How troublesome."

The exchange continued for hours.

Marsai rose gracefully, smoothing her robes. "That concludes today's lesson, Young Master. I leave you with this information—may you think it through and find the answers you seek."

Nioh watched her leave, analyzing all the information he had received from her. Although he could not sense her allegiance, she was irreproachable in her manners.

It didn't take long for X to walk in with a grin on his face. "How was your first lesson?" he asked.

"Marsai is quite good, really steady," Nioh replied.

X poured himself a cup of coffee and settled across from Nioh, replacing Marsai as his instructor for the rest of the day. "Although I am your shield, there are places I won't be able to accompany you due to my rank. And to avoid repeating the mistakes we made with the previous lord, you must learn to convince people with your strength."

"I'll do my best," Nioh said. "What do you suggest?"

"I'll help you gain as much strength as possible in the next few days. Let's start simple. Tell me: what are the pillars of strength for a corebinder?"

"Special ability, Mecha, and Weapons," Nioh answered confidently.

"And you'd be correct. Your ability is determined when you awaken your biocore, something you have little control over. But your Mecha and weapons—those are things you can actively improve."

X leaned forward, his tone shifting to one of experience. "Take me, for example. I awakened a fire manipulation ability. It's pretty standard and common. But with S-class biocore weapons and high-grade fusion biocores, I've pushed myself to quasi S-class warrior status. I know you have talent as a weapon designer, so I'll leave that for now. Today, I want to focus on your Mecha and fusion cores."

"What's the first issue every new corebinder faces?" X asked.

"Energy management," Nioh replied without hesitation.

"Exactly. The energy supplied by your awakened biocore is limited. That's why fusion with other biocores is essential—to increase both your energy reserves and power output. For instance, your sound control ability is great, but it might drain 60% of your current reserves just to deal damage. With fusion, you can double those reserves and amplify your abilities in Mecha form."

He continued, "Each biocore fusion is dangerous and irreversible. It's why there are strict conditions: first the fusion biocore must be the same rank or lower than your biocore, second it should align or at least not oppose your original biocore's element. Third you need at least 25% synchronization rate with your biocore. Each fusion will result in a change in your biocore and consume your synchronization rate, so you need an adaptation period to restore your synchronization before the next fusion."

"How many fused cores do you have?" Nioh asked.

"Four. I'm preparing for my fifth," X said. "To be a monarch, you need at least twelve fused biocores. It helps when you're an S-grade corebinder, of course."

X leaned back, watching Nioh closely. "The choice of your fusion biocores is critical. Because it defines your path as a corebinder. The Monarch has gone against the elders and opened the Glev family vault, allowing you to choose three biocores. His exact words were, 'This will be the only assistance I offer him, on account of all the things he has suffered and will suffer as my illegitimate son.'"

He handed Nioh a list. "Here's the inventory. Take your time—this decision will define your growth."

Nioh barely glanced at the list before pointing. "This, this, and this."

X blinked, taken aback. "Isn't this too fast? You should consider your options carefully. One of these cores could be exchanged for favors later."

"That won't be necessary. I'm confident in my choice," Nioh said firmly.

X sighed, a mix of dejection and admiration crossing his face. "Very well. I'll send word to the Monarch's side. Your choices will be delivered in a couple of days."