Fusion and Whispers

Boom!!

The instant Mo Bai hesitated high in the air, the Otherworldly Flowers before him exploded.

An explosion alone would have been fine. With Cursed Energy protecting him, Mo Bai would not have been hurt.

But the problem was...

"You still dare to lose focus in a fight? Looks like Rover really hasn't taught you much. Off saving the world again, I suppose."

Phrolova sat on a ring suspended in midair, watching Mo Bai scramble to defend himself. Her voice was calm, though this time it carried a hint of mockery.

Plop.

Amid the dazzling explosions, blooming like flowers, droplets of black liquid landed on Mo Bai.

Hum—

The substance was harmless to Mo Bai's Fused Shikigami, but when it touched him, something changed.

Held aloft in Nue's claws, Mo Bai felt his vision darken. Then everything before his eyes began to slow.

Are these things affecting my mind?

Mo Bai traced the change to the Black Mud on his body.

Unify, fuse...

Then whispers began to sound in his ears.

With that symptom, Mo Bai could be certain.

The Black Mud on him was a creation of Leviathan, the Threnodian from Rinascita.

"So the Remnant Star Society dug up that Threnodian's corpse and put it to use?" Mo Bai couldn't help remarking.

It sounded exactly like something the Remnant Star Society would do.

I grant you power, you grant me new life. We work together...

The unwilling whisper came again, as if from inside a prison.

For now, Mo Bai ignored the Threnodian and looked up at Phrolova.

Everything in his sight had begun to slow, probably thanks to the Threnodian.

What concerned Mo Bai more was why Phrolova had come here.

Had she thrown that lump of Black Mud at him to make him coexist with the Threnodian?