NOVEL WEB Chapter 100: Trickmaster
Dr. Blessed stared at the mute Nomu after another bout of intensive questioning and tsked in frustration.
After another last attempt, when the Nomu he had captured during the USJ incident didn't show any sign of intelligence, he used a bat to confine it in a marble again before throwing it in his pocket.
The black mask on his face melted away, then, becoming Nyx.
"I told you we should have captured the other one," she cawed, pruning her feathers. "That one had a mouth like a raven. Which, if you truly think, means that it was more intelligent than this dumb sack of hairless ball…"
"Nyx…" Luke frowned at her.
They had once again come to the Cave Hideout in the Akiyoshido Cave System.
However, from the last time, the entire dome-like cave had taken a much grander appearance.
There was still an underground waterfall, a stream from the water pooling under it running through the entire cave, dividing it into two parts.
However, unlike before, there were massive white, domed halls on either side of the stream.
Not only that, the entire cave was well lit using a dedicated source of electricity.
Suddenly, just as Luke and Nyx were bickering, a massive thud announced itself behind them.
Luke turned around and craned his neck up to look at the giant beast.
It was an African Elephant, with a distinct hint of intelligence.
However, unlike the usual appearance of an elephant, this one looked like made of paper.
Its skin had become wrinkly enough that even bones were visible. Its eyes were sunken and its flesh had all but dried up.
"… Master," it said with the voice of an old man weighing hundreds of kilograms. "It's ready."
Luke looked at the Elephant with the High Complexity Intelligence Quirk and felt conflicted.
Ever since they had decided to turn this entire space into their hideout, Luke and Nyx had been coming here to build many labs and halls for the same purpose.
One way to carry on with this plan was to steal high-tech equipment from the Blue Site to fuel further experiments.
However, that would become a major issue, with the entire Saionji Group coming after him as well.
Another way was to steal blueprints of the equipment, using a Quirk, and then use Blood Creation to create the equipment and other objects from scratch.
Luke, of course, couldn't keep using Nyx for such a thing, given her tiny body.
That's where lifeforms like this elephant came into the picture.
Luke nodded at the elephant and walked to a domed lab that was at least four times the size of the others, occupying a third of the entire Cave Hideout.
The moment Luke entered it, with the elephant following him, a cacophony of noises blasted his ears.
There were more than three dozen animals of various sizes, each having their own space in a grand biome — deer, kangaroos, cheetahs, tigers, lions, jaguars, dogs, chimpanzees, vultures, etc.
There was even a dedicated space for marine life.
Basically, it was a Mini-Zoo, as Nyx dubbed it.
Luke nodded. "You have done well."
The elephant smiled.
Luke picked up on the oddity. "… Are you afraid? Do you hate me?"
The elephant crawled forward and sat down in front of Luke.
"No, and No, Master," he replied, looking at all the animals. "Everything before you found me feels like a blur… like a constant fog trying to cloud my vision. I remember what it felt… not to have this feeling. A part of me wants to go back. A part of me wants to carry on that life. I won't lie to you, or to myself, about this.
"But… this gift… of the ability to think—is grander than my existence. I wish you could complete your research in my lifetime. I wanted to see it come true — the future you showed me. Alas… Perhaps, that's why you chose an old animal like me, just on the brink of my natural death?
"So, no. No, I don't hate you, Master. Now… I just want to rest."
With that, the giant elephant closed his eyes.
Luke smiled, the corners of his lips arching up to his ears. He remembered the tree's last words just after Nomu's punch had obliterated it months ago to save Tomura near UA.
Now, he had an idea what that tree must have been feeling.
Taking a deep breath, Luke nodded at the corpse.
Then he looked at the several animals.
"Let's make sure that no one dies with an Intelligence Quirk anymore…" Luke said, Nyx nodding along with him.
That's what the Research Labs were for here — To isolate the Intelligence Quirk and make them permanent without compromising a lifeform's existing Spirit Points.
Feeling a strange isolation among this chaotic atmosphere, Luke found himself becoming calmer than ever.
It was time.
…
[Yes. You can consume the next potion, Luke. Also, I need to tell you something.]
…
Yes? Luke asked. What is it, Miss Justice?
…
[
You must remember that consuming Potions of the three pathways is as good as begging for death, or worse, in normal circumstances.
If you didn't have me, then you would have certainly mutated right after consuming your second Potion.
However, with higher Sequences, it will become difficult even for me to keep you intact.
So, when you visited Mr. Fool, He upgraded me to counter this from Sequence 8 onwards.
]
…
What do you mean? Luke asked.
…
[You will know after consuming the Potion. Go ahead.]
…
A bit puzzled, Luke took out a vial of potion, containing a vibrant, colorful liquid resembling poisonous mushrooms, and consumed it.
He felt like hundreds of bulbous, rectangular creatures were trying to come out of his skin.
More than anything, it was like his skin was a door and someone was knocking on it from inside.
The moment Luke acutely comprehended the strangeness of the feeling, it disappeared, leaving behind a bitter aftertaste.
It was over.
Now, he was a Trickmaster!
And, to Luke's shock, ONLY a Trickmaster.
****************
AN: Original Image of the scene showing Luke and Nyx and the Elephant is available
60 more chapters are available in advance [Use the link available on my Webnovel Profile].
With each Tier, you will get ALL Monthly Uploads of all my works, Side Stories, Backlog Chapters, along with unique Images, enriching your reading experience while simultaneously supporting the work.
100 Power Stones/day: +1 Bonus Chapter