The sixth course consisted of a dozen miniature platforms. They were all floating and directly above one another. The smallest platform, which was 10 meters from the ground and 5 meters by 5 meters wide and 1 foot tall, was at the bottom, while the largest platform, 50 meters by 50 meters wide and 10 feet tall, was at the top. The platforms were made of iron so they were incredibly heavy.
Chaus looked for the floating sphere, and when he saw it, he felt a complicated emotion. He quickly extinguished his emotions and walked to the floating sphere. Before placing his hand on the floating sphere, he looked up and what greeted his eyes were the floating platforms. Thousands of kilos of weight were above him, and they would soon fall on him.
Chaus sucked in a breath of air and touched the floating sphere. The sound of a large iron platform falling from the air reached Chaus's ears. He began using his soul to manifest large pillars. BOOM. The platform hit the pillars. Tiny cracks began running across the pillars, but they didn't break. Chaus was relieved, but not for long. The sound of the second platform falling reached his ears. Chaus created more pillars and repaired the current pillars. BOOM. This time large cracks began to run across all the pillars. The pillars began to break. One pillar crumbled, then another, and soon all the pillars crumbled.
Ah f**k
The platforms began to fall on top of Chaus. It wasn't until the pillars almost crushed Chaus that they stopped falling. They were so close Chaus could feel the platforms touch his hair. The course reset and Chaus began planning how to pass the course. He began by testing the area that he could manifest objects in and how tall the objects he manifested could be.
Chaus found out he could only manifest objects in a 5 by 5 meter area, and the highest height his manifested objects could reach was 5 meters.
Chaus could create at least a dozen pillars within that area, but that wasn't enough to stop the tens of thousands of kilos of weight. Anything he currently did wouldn't be able to stop the dozen platforms from almost crushing him.
He needed to increase the strength of the objects he manifested. Unfortunately, making the objects he manifested harder didn't increase their strength. Soul manifestation could be thought of as a muscle. A muscle could be hard, but weak at the same time. Chaus needed his soul manifestation to be hard and strong. Like the previous platform, there was only one surefire way to increase the strength of the objects he manifested.
Chaus went back underneath the platforms and started the course again.
Everytime the platforms almost crushed him, the stronger his soul manifested objects became. This process was repeated over and over again.
After the first month, Chaus could hold 3 platforms up. After the second month, Chaus could hold 5 platforms up. After the fourth month, Chaus could hold 9 platforms up, and after the seventh month, Chaus could hold all 12 platforms up.
The strength of the objects that he manifested was incredible. If he were to manifest his spear, it would take over tens of thousands of kilos of force to break it. The same applied to his soul manifested armor.
The seventh course. The last course on this platform. Chaus was excited at what it was.
At the base of the spiral staircase.
The transmutation circle was 90% done. Dru only needed a little more time to finish it. He had worked on this circle every day for the past 3 and a half years. In half a year's time, he would be finished with the circle. Suddenly, while he was working on the circle, Dru felt the urge to teleport to where Chaus was.
"So he finally reached the seventh course," Dru mused. He put away his powder and vanished.
On the fourth platform.
The seventh course wasn't a course at all. It was an arena. Chaus was going to fight.
Chaus walked towards the floating sphere that rested in the middle of the arena. He put his hand on the sphere. The air began fluctuating and a man-like beast appeared. The beast was easily 2 meters tall and had horns protruding out of its head. It had a wolf-like face and yellow eyes that seemed like it could peer through anything. Muscles and scales rippled across its entire body. It was Dru, a magus.
Chaus grew excited at the appearance of Dru. He would be fighting Dru again. He wanted to see the fruits of the effort.
"You exceeded my expectations. I didn't think you would reach the seventh course so fast. Then again, you're their son."
Chaus' expression turned solemn when Dru mentioned 'their.' For the past three years and a half, Chaus never forgot the grudge he would pay back 10 times over.
Dru chanted a spell and Chaus felt all the restraints leave his body. He was able to use magic and soul integration now. Chaus felt his body brimming with power. After being constrained to nothing but soul manifestation for the past 2 years, the sudden influx of power felt amazing to Chaus. Additionally, his soul was now at the middle level the transformation stage.
"After you," Dru said.
Chaus smiled. He began soul integration and held out his right hand. A 10 foot long spear with hellfire enshrouded on it began to manifest. Meanwhile armor of the same properties began manifesting on Chaus's body. Soon afterwards, a foot long needle that contained hellfire manifested to the left of Chaus.
Dru looked at Chaus observingling. The child surpassed expectations again and again. Maybe child was the wrong word. Chaus was 13 now. The 3 and a half years of training honed his body to a considerable degree. He had muscles across his entire body, and his long black hair now covered his eyes. He was taller now, around 165 centimeters. He was looking more and more like Carnak, though the black hair and eyes were attributed to Veronica.
Dru manifested a weapon of his own. A thin sword with wind flying around it manifested in Dru's hand. Meanwhile another sword identical to the first manifested in the air in front of Dru.
Chaus narrowed his eyes. Dru was able to create something similar to his flying needle. Chaus began itching in anticipation of the upcoming battle.
Dru lifted his hand in an inviting manner. "Please, be my guest." Dru gave Chaus the initiative to attack.
Chaus didn't waste any time. Chaus sent his flying needle towards Dru and Dru responded with his flying sword. The needle and sword clashed in the air, their ringing reverberating through the air. Their flying weapons were evenly matched. Since that was the case, Chaus began using advanced magic. He cast 'Rain of Fire' and a barrage of firebolts made of hellfire began flying towards Dru. Dru dodged the 'Rain of Fire' and charged towards Chaus. Chaus brandished his spear and stabbed at Dru. Dru parried his spear with his sword and slashed at Chaus's waist. Before his sword could reach Chaus, a large spike manifested in front of Dru's chest. Dru quickly stopped his attack and stepped back. He looked down at his chest. A part of his clothing was pierced.
Chaus didn't expect it to work, but seeing Dru dodge his attack so easily was a little demeaning. He quickly cleared his mind and focused on the battle again. Chaus and Dru clashed again. Chaus used his Spear of the Blood Emperor and Dragon Steps in an attempt to even out the gap in physical abilities. Then, while clashing with Dru, Chaus would unleash advanced magic in an attempt to catch Dru off guard.
For the past two years, Chaus trained his soul manifestation ability. What Chaus didn't know was that training soul manifestation also trained the soul. As such, his soul integration improved drastically as well as the amount of soul energy that his soul could hold. 'Rain of Fire' now took little soul energy and he could now exert 10,000 kilos of force with his soul integration. However, he was still far from Dru, but he was getting closer and closer.
Chaus unleashed all four elements. Earth pillars rose up from the ground, large tidal waves raged across the Earth, winds sliced through the air, and fire burned everything. Chaus was nearing the level of a natural disaster.
Even so, Dru blocked every attack Chaus threw at him, but Dru had to spare more effort to do so than he did in the past. Dru decided to test Chaus. Dru cast his own advanced magic, 'Circus of Blades.'
Hundreds of wind blades flew at Chaus. If Chaus's Dragon Steps reached the upper advanced stage, he could have dodged all the wind blades. Unfortunately his Dragon Steps was only at the lower intermediate stage.
Chaus created a barrier made of hellfire with his soul. The wind blades crashed against the black barrier. Chaus was shocked. Every windblade had 1,000 kilos of force and there were hundreds of them. Chaus's soul manifested objects were strong, but he didn't know if they were that strong. Chaus began casting barrier spells and 5 barriers created by magic were formed outside the soul manifested barrier. Normally, magic barriers were stronger than soul manifested barriers, but Chaus was different. His soul manifested barrier was at least a few dozen times stronger than his magic barriers.
The first barrier broke in seconds. Then the second barrier broke. After 15 seconds, all 5 magic barriers broke. Only the soul manifested barrier was left, but there were still hundreds of wind blades left. Chaus clenched his teeth and persisted through the onslaught.
Everytime a wind blade crashed against his barrier, it shook. The barrier continuously shook for 30 seconds. Then, after another 15 seconds, the first crack began appearing. Sh*t. His barrier couldn't hold for much longer. Chaus began thinking of a way out of this. He had to stop Dru from maintaining 'Circus of Blades.' Chaus thought of a plan.
Chaus unleashed 'Rain of fire' at an area 10 feet away from where Dru was standing. Dru stood there confused. Why did he aim there? Then, when a flying needle made of hellfire attacked him, realization dawned. The 'Rain of Fire' was a cover up for the needle. Dru quickly stopped his 'Circus of Blades' and fended off the needle.
Meanwhile, Chaus despawned his barrier. The onslaught was finally over, but he couldn't rest. A flying sword began attacking him. The sword flew around him in circles, striking sporadically and in unpredictable angles. Chaus didn't realize a flying weapon could be used like this. He had only been using his needle in a straightforward manner. Chaus decided to change the attack patterns of his flying needle into one that was more unpredictable and deadly.
Dru smiled as he noticed the change in Chaus's needle. He was learning in the midst of battle. His talent was extraordinary.
Meanwhile, Chaus used everything he had to fend off Dru's flying sword. The sword would slash at Chaus's head and quickly fly behind Chaus to attack his back. It was incredibly difficult to defend against the unpredictable attack pattern of the sword. What was worse, however, was the sound of a tornado. This was the magic that caused Chaus's defeat the last time Chaus fought Dru.
Even while fending off Chaus's flying needle, Dru managed to create a tornado. Chaus turned solemn. Dru was still preoccupied with his flying needle, but that didn't matter as Chaus had to deal with the tornado while fending off the flying sword.
The flying sword attacked him from the front while the tornado came from his back. He was pinched. He needed a solution, and fast. He began racking his brain for answers. The tornado was almost upon him. The light bulb went off in Chaus's head.
The flying sword tried to stab Chaus, and Chaus let it. The pain of flesh being split apart made Chaus grimace in pain, but a grin was evident on his face. Dru watched from the sidelines surprised. What is he planning now? His question was soon answered when Chaus covered the flying sword with soul manifestation. Chaus had trapped the flying sword. Dru was amazed. Chaus was only 13 but his combat sense was incredible. It was even greater than Carnak's combat sense.
Chaus pulled himself off the flying sword. A deep wound dripping blood was seen from his stomach, but he didn't care. He turned around and faced the tornado. Last time all he could do was run from it. This time he would destroy it. Chaus created dozens of pillars of stone to slow the tornado down. The tornado slowed down, but barely. That was all Chaus needed. Chaus began manifesting a second needle. Whenever Chaus attempted splitting his consciousness in three, a mind breaking pain would invade his head, but Chaus had a feeling he could do it and he did.
Chaus launched the needle towards the tornado and cast a different spell, 'Meteor Shower.'
Chaus had learned this spell previously, but the amount of magic it took up was extraordinary. Now that Chaus's soul had grown, he grew confident in being able to cast this spell and still have soul energy left over for battle.
A large magic circle emerged in the air. Out of the circle flew dozens of meteors. Each meteor was at least 2 meters wide and was covered in hellfire. The meteors followed the needle and flew towards the tornado. The black needle moved at a speed twice that of an arrow. It quickly went in and out of the tornado, weakening the tornado's power. At this moment, the meteor shower reached the tornado. Wind, fire, and earth clashed in a canopy of deafening explosions. Chaus could feel the vibrations the explosions created through the air. A while later the explosions subsided. The tornado was no more and the only thing surviving its aftermath was a flying needle.