"In other words, if it can absorb certain high-end materials, this method could actually be quite effective." Su Mo stroked his chin as he analyzed.
This method wasn't commonly used, mainly because the materials in this world weren't up to par. But if one had access to high-strength materials like strong-interaction force matter (Droplets), vibranium, or orichalcum, wouldn't a mage using this absorption magic soar instantly?
Speaking of high-strength materials—
Whether it was the divine relics from the Campione world or the new-generation alloys from the Ultraman Tiga world, all of them possessed remarkable durability.
Still— Compared to absorbing inorganic matter using this method, Su Mo was far more intrigued by another aspect. "To think... that by understanding the structure and properties of a being, you can even absorb life itself?"
This third type of absorption method was completely different from the previous two. The first two involved either absorbing a living being directly or using a soul as a transformation template.
But this third method leaned more towards alchemy—reconstructing something through deep understanding. It required an incredibly detailed and precise comprehension of the biological structure of the target one wanted to transform into.
Only then would transformation be possible.
Seeing Su Mo so interested in this method, Mira couldn't help but shake her head. "This method does exist, but transforming into a living being using it comes with extremely demanding prerequisites."
"Unless you're a specialized zoologist, it's near impossible to accumulate that level of knowledge." "For most mages, the learning cost is just too high. It's much more convenient to simply defeat a target and use the first method to absorb them."
In theory, the third method held the most potential. Because it didn't involve clashing with the target's consciousness or soul. As long as your knowledge was sufficient— Even transforming into a dragon wouldn't be a problem. But therein lay the biggest obstacle: knowledge.
To transform into a dragon, you'd have to understand a dragon better than the dragon itself. In some sense, that was even harder than defeating one in combat.
"This method truly does have a high threshold," Su Mo nodded thoughtfully. Then, silently added in his heart: —But not entirely impossible.
In the Mist Space, the other versions of Su Mo might have all sorts of experiences. One of them might be a scientist, or someone well-versed in biological alchemy. That would be enough to meet the requirements.
—And as fate would have it, the Su Mo in the Fairy Tail world had no idea: a new Su Mo from another world had just arrived—one whose world did, in fact, possess the art of alchemy.
…
Having grasped the core types of takeover magic, Su Mo officially began his training under Mira's guidance. He had teamed up with Mira on missions several times now. Lisanna often stuck close to him as well. So he wasn't unfamiliar with the magical flow of absorption magic.
On top of that, it seemed the Campione physique provided him with some advantage when it came to learning magic. After just over an hour of practice, Su Mo had already managed to use absorption magic at a rudimentary level.
Though the results were a bit underwhelming, at this pace, it would only take a few days before he could use the spell effectively in actual combat.
Seeing Su Mo's learning speed, Mira was utterly stunned. She knew Su Mo was a genius. But she hadn't expected this level of genius.
At this rate—
Forget Lisanna and Elfman. Even she might get overtaken by Su Mo. Realizing this, a spark of fighting spirit ignited in Mira's eyes. No way—she couldn't just give up like that! She had to work harder too!
Unaware that his rapid progress was quietly lighting a competitive fire in Mira, Su Mo continued to train hard into the night. And the next morning, he rose early to continue practicing. Before gaining his cheat system and entering the Mist Space, Su Mo's genius reputation wasn't just based on his knowledge of modern science and common sense from Earth. It also came from his sheer dedication.
He knew the world he was in was dangerous. And he was well aware of how powerful his enemies could be. That's why he never slacked, not even for a moment. It was only after gaining the Mist Space system that he began to see true hope—and finally stopped feeling so anxious.
But the habit of relentless training remained. He continued practicing Takeover magic until midday. After lunch, Su Mo finally put his training on pause. It was time to head to the Fairy Tail guild.
This was when he had scheduled his letter magic lessons with Levy. Letter magic was one of Fairy Tail's signature magical forms. By infusing magic into words, mages could trigger incredible magical effects. It could even be used to write runes, lay traps, and enforce absolute rules within barriers. While it wasn't particularly flashy in direct combat, its utility in sealing and controlling was exceptional.
In the internal conflict arc of Fairy Tail, Freed—one of the Thunder God Tribe—had managed to singlehandedly seal off the entire guild with his runes. While that was thanks to meticulous preparation, it still highlighted the terrifying potential of this magic.
Levy specialized in Solid Script magic. Although she could manipulate runes, she didn't seem capable of writing full magical formations.
But that didn't matter. Su Mo only needed to learn the basics for now.
And so— Under the envious and resentful gazes of Jet and Droy, Su Mo began his lessons with Levy. Once again, he found himself immersed in learning—unable to pull himself away. And whether it was takeover magic or letter magic, Su Mo's skill grew rapidly as he trained.
His absurd magical talent left both of his teachers—Levy and Mira—feeling both proud and just a bit envious. It was simply outrageous!
…
…
While the Su Mo in the Fairy Tail world was busy learning new magic— The Su Mo in the Ultraman Tiga world was also far from idle.
After returning from the Mist Space, he went straight back to his office. Before long, he received a message from Captain Rena.
There was going to be a meeting regarding the recent appearance of a Giant of Light, who had defeated two kaiju. Since the meeting might involve naming the new Ultra, Su Mo definitely didn't want to miss it.
When he arrived at the Victory Team's meeting room, he found a video playing on the holographic screen. It was footage of the Giant of Light fighting the monsters Golza and Melba. The team members were all watching the clip intently, replaying it several times.
Daigo, who stood closest to the screen, seemed deep in thought, as though analyzing the battle.
"From my analysis, the timer on the giant's chest likely indicates energy or life force," said tech officer Horii. "Look here—when the red giant first appeared, the chest light was blue." "But after getting hit by Golza's attack, it started blinking red." "Following that logic, it probably signals an energy shortage." "And once the monsters were defeated, both giants immediately left Earth—so maybe their time here is limited."
Given the limited data, many conclusions could only be speculative, but Horii's analysis still gave Daigo much to consider.
"Yes, I agree with that assessment," Captain Megumi nodded, but she raised another point of curiosity. "But why was the second giant so much stronger than the first one? He took down two monsters in under a minute. Meanwhile, the first giant was just getting beat up."
"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing!" Lieutenant Munakata chimed in.
"If they're both giants, how can their power levels be so different?"
"I don't get it either," said Shinjo, equally puzzled.
"…"
Hearing all this, Daigo remained silent. He felt like his heart had just been stabbed. Why, indeed? If they were both Giants of Light… why was the chief so much stronger than him? Was this even fair?
Just as Daigo was spiraling into a self-esteem crisis, Horii's next words gave him a lifeline.
"The red giant struggled not because he was weak, but because of the circumstances." "He was fighting two enemies at once and had to protect the remaining statue. He couldn't go all-out." "In contrast, the purple-red giant didn't have any such constraints, so he could fight freely. That's why he made it look so easy."
Daigo's eyes lit up at that. That made sense! He wasn't useless—he was just being careful to protect the statue! Maybe… maybe he wasn't as weak as he thought?
But just as this hopeful thought took hold, Horii dragged the video to the final scene— Where Ultraman Tiga effortlessly eliminated both monsters with two finishing moves. A few seconds of silence passed before Horii spoke again.
"Still, no matter the context, the power level of the purple-red giant is undeniable." "To defeat two kaiju so quickly—there's no way the red giant could've done that." "So even without the earlier limitations, the purple-red giant is clearly on a completely different level."
"…"
Daigo felt like he'd just taken another critical hit.