"You're a disaster... again. I don't know how many times I've told you that these past few days." Brendu teases me from in front of me.
"It's all for the greater good." I can't refute her words.
Part of the damage I've received has been my own fault. By trying to push my training too far, I've ended up getting hurt. Several times, my black swords exploded into small blades flying in every direction. This time, because they were coated with other affinities, they became even more powerful.
Fortunately, I didn't receive any death damage because the swords were far enough away from me. I had enough time to react by creating some ice barriers or using gravity to stop them, although that only served to drain some of their power.
I can't help but smile despite my body being covered in wounds and my suit being torn apart. I can now control ten swords, and creating them has become much easier. It's still a relatively small number, but their power isn't. They've already become a weapon I can use in a real battle.
I feel like I'm close to something, perhaps a new ability. I have several available slots for new abilities, and I wouldn't mind obtaining a new one right now.
Maki: 17 years old. – Ruby Rank.ABILITIES:• Death Sharpness (IV) – level 21 – level 25• Warlike Architecture (IV) – level 18 – level 24• Deadly Arcane Construction (IV) – level 17 – level 24• Personal World (IV) – level 12 – level 16• Thundersnow (IV) – level 18 – level 22• Dimensional Step (IV) – level 9 – level 11• Advanced Vital Synthesis (IV) – level 15 – level 21• Gravity Overload (IV) – level 11 – level 14• Crushing Tempest (V) – level 1 – level 3
Laws and Pseudo-Laws:• Yin-Yang Law: Life and Death• Heavenly Dominion Law: Space• Dragon Law: Gravity• Absolute Frost Law: Ice• Eternal Edge Law: Sharpness• Self Rhythm Law: Electricity• Pseudo-Law of Perception
Draconic Dominion (Special Banner) – Rank 3
My status looks incredible, with all my abilities at rank IV and even one at rank V. I have several extremely powerful Laws, especially the Yin-Yang Law and the Dragon Law. The only thing I could improve, if I have time, is my pseudo-law.
This Pseudo-Law of Perception is very useful. It complements my Space Law perfectly, and I should dedicate more time to it in the future. My instincts tell me that the benefits will be enormous if I manage to improve it.
What makes me happiest about my new status is all the levels I've gained over these nearly thirty days. I've worked harder than ever before, perhaps even harder than when I was trapped in that dungeon as a child.
The monsters here are far more intelligent and aggressive. A small mistake could cost me my life.
"I think we need to take a full day of rest, especially you. You've been sleeping the bare minimum for almost an entire month, and you've even gone days without sleeping. You've been making mistakes continuously; mental exhaustion is taking its toll on you." Brendu speaks while stroking my hair.
"I've been thinking the same thing. I've made positioning and swordsmanship mistakes, something that has never happened to me before. Some of my constructs have also been extremely flawed because my mind has been overloaded." I slowly close my eyes.
"Maybe we should spend a day outside together, just staying home all day and sleeping as much as possible. I've already accomplished almost both of my goals, and I still have ten days left to polish a few rough edges." I open my eyes. "I also want to see the sun. Staying in this gloomy place all the time is starting to get on my nerves."
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"We can leave right now. I've already spoken with Aunt Liza about this possibility, and she agreed. They won't send anyone while we're outside, and it'll also allow more monsters to appear." Brendu is always one step ahead.
"Do you want to come?" I ask Glia beside me.
"That's a stupid question. Of course I want to go. I'm tired of this place too." Glia rolls her eyes. She's probably the one who has benefited the most from this training, and I'm happy to see her progressing so quickly.
Brendu hasn't fallen behind either. She's become ridiculously strong. I've always known about her talent, but she never stops surprising me. She almost never put in effort because she didn't need to in order to remain at the top. Now, with the extra effort she's making, she could become a limit-breaker like me if she continues training.
Her strength is overwhelming, her battle sense is sharp, she's incredibly agile, and her control over mana and Imra is impeccable. Those monstrous trees of hers even cause me trouble. She can now control three of them effortlessly. She can easily overwhelm several monsters of the same level, but she's still missing something to fight monsters one rank above her.
The day of relaxation is turning out to be better than I expected. The moment my body touched a real bed, it felt like lying on a cloud. I fell asleep almost instantly. Healing my injuries and stamina with life mana is completely different from simply relaxing in a bed with nothing else on my mind.
Glia is sleeping inside my cube. She's devoured several dozen monster cores that we had stored. Knowing how lazy Glia is, she probably won't fight again for a few days while she finishes assimilating all the power she's consumed.
Brendu has also been sleeping peacefully, although she's also been taking care of some pending matters and communicating with her parents.
"I really needed that rest." I crack my neck, hands, and fingers. I can see a small smile on Brendu's face.
The moment we encounter Escamus again, I release my Crushing Tempest, and it feels different, as if the ability itself has become much smoother than before. The change is tiny, but noticeable.
Did my mental exhaustion affect me that much? I wouldn't have noticed it so clearly if I hadn't rested for an entire day. It's not only my magic; my body also feels lighter. I see openings and opportunities where I couldn't before. My Imra has also changed. It feels stronger, more oppressive, and more dominant.
I begin slaughtering monsters. My abilities at their peak and my confidence soaring force me to move forward. I can't stop.
Every monster that enters the range of my new ability is met with clear killing intent. That intention strengthens my black swords, making them more and more deadly. Could I create a couple more? No, it's not whether I can. I will.
Two equally powerful and threatening swords are constructed in an instant. The others try to destabilize, but I hold them together through sheer willpower. The internal struggle lasts less than a second. I manage to dominate them.
My confidence continues to grow, but I'm not stupid. I know that pushing harder would only bring trouble. First, I need to get used to the ones I'm using right now. I don't want to cause more problems.
Our training lasted much longer than planned. I wasn't the only one who regained energy. Brendu is also more motivated than usual. She's been massacring Escamus left and right; the call with her older brother gave her some motivation.
"You were completely unleashed. I haven't seen you that happy and excited in a long time; I didn't even see that smile when you reunited with us." Brendu gently hits my ribs with her elbow.
"I'm not the only one. You didn't hold back either. I haven't seen you so focused on something in a long time." I pull the princess into a tight embrace, and she blushes.
The days flew by. The last ten days disappeared in the blink of an eye. We took things more calmly during this period. It was mostly about perfecting our abilities and polishing the smallest flaws we'd noticed.
We don't want to overwork ourselves again. We've already realized that mental exhaustion can work against us.
"Thank you, uncle and aunt, for your help. I'll return soon with good news." I say goodbye to Camux and Liza. They also wish me good luck. I'll be able to talk to them more when I return.
"Do you want to fly?" I ask Brendu. We could use the carriage, but I'll leave the choice to her.
"Yes, I want to practice a little more, and I have to take advantage of these beautiful landscapes. The Viscount's territory has the most beautiful flowers." We both levitate and depart toward my territory.