[Sometime in some previous cycle]
Shinji can be seen reading about qi control and its applications.
"Tch, I can't use Natural Qi to attack others...", Shinji was once again disappointed with his findings. He bit his nails.
Qi is the product of the universe or what backward cultivators back in the day would can Heaven and Earth Qi. The universe likes to keep balance therefore Qi adheres to the postulates[1] of cultivation.
1. Cultivation is going against Heaven's (Universe) will. The Universe, therefore, is against the cultivator hence the reason why Natural Qi is dangerous when cultivated carelessly.
2. Natural Qi is owned by the Universe. Therefore the universe won't help the cultivator. Natural Qi won't be chaotic when used against other cultivators.
3. Cultivation still adheres to power and the Universe recognizes this therefore cultivators with a higher cultivation stage can use the Natural Qi to pressure, oppress, or even kill (under the pressure) another cultivator with a lower cultivation stage.
------------------------------------------------------
Weakened 1-Star [Glow]
A glow also surrounds Shinji to stop a shadow from forming around him.
'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!', Shinji is in pain.
His qi went flowed through his meridians, something he notices a while back was that Natural Qi and Refined Qi might hit with one another. As energy, the space they take up is even much smaller than atoms letting Shinji control his Refined Qi to avoid the Natural Qi going to the [Qi Core].
This shows how meticulous Shinji is with his control of qi. With the research of technology, he was able to not only magnify enough to see qi, with the help of being a cultivator, but he also trained to be able to control multiple small groups of Refined Qi enough to avoid Qi Traffic... or at least that is the term that Shinji coined.
Unlike Qi, Mana is non-reactive and won't give any effects unless it were to make a combination. It can be compared to DNA wherein each combination gives off different traits and the chemicals that make it up are useless alone, not even amounting to a cellular organism.
Normally, Mana can be absorbed through breathing, and the only way for there to be faster absorption, there had to be better control over mana.
Even so, Shinji was able to absorb even more mana due to cultivation techniques having to breathe in more air from the surrounding. You also must take into account his trained mana talent through a long time of practice.
Another unnatural method that Shinji applied was to absorb the mana through his internal wounds. The only reason mana flowed through the lungs was to pass through from the capillaries to the heart. It is also easy to tell that faster blood circulation also means faster mana absorption.
Now that the bodily tissues are breaking under stress and Natural Qi, It was able to give away enough space to let mana pass through and go straight to the heart. The fastest to reach were the ones near the shoulder and ribs.
Not only is this method even faster than conventional mana intake. It ensures that the reckless method of using Natural Qi to train the body is safely taken. Mana will be used to cover vital areas.
What? I said 'Lastly' in the last chapter you say? HahahaHAHAHAHA! I meant the last method for cultivating qi. There is still more! Shinji squeezed every single last drop of his potential, ingenuity, and will just for this method.
Now for Shinji's [Psyche]. It uses the already generated Transmuted Mana after the [Mana Heart] worked on the Natural Mana. Shinji used the same method of stuffing himself full of nutrients while also using repeated amounts of multiple healing spells.
'This damning low [Mana Heart]!', Shinji's frustration went out accidentally. The cost of using mana for 2-Star spells costs so much more for a Rank 2 than a Rank 3 mage due to the Universe's supposed principle for magic. these were the proposed and accepted postulates:
1. Magic is the process of equivalent exchange. The Universe recognized that the weak are unworthy of using strong spells. Therefore the cost of spells magnifies the more incredible the spell.
2. Transmuted Mana quality depends on talent and rank(the magic spell on the heart). The Universe doesn't take it lightly when a mage of a weaker rank was to use stronger spells. Stronger spells cost much more mana for weaker mages than stronger mages.
To explain further:
If Rank 2 Mage has 20 low-quality mana and Rank 3 Mage has 40-mid quality mana
And 2 low-quality mana is equal to 1-mid quality mana
Therefore Rank 2 Mage should have 10-mid quality mana
BUT if a Rank 2 mage were to use a 2-Star spell that requires 5-mid quality mana then the Rank 2 mage was to be left with nothing. Extortion!
And a Rank 3 Mage only had to use 5-mid quality mana and still be left with 35-mid quality mana in his mana reserve.
Fortunately, there is still the 3rd postulate
3. Magic still adheres to knowledge and the Universe recognizes this therefore having memorized runes and understanding their properties will lessen the cost of mana significantly.
For the 3rd rule, Shinji went full ham and immersed himself in the vast sea of knowledge that Gold Coffing Academy could offer. He could tell the properties and meanings of Arthimetic Runes and Property Runes like the back of his hand.
So the mana cost of 1-Star spells has been reduced so much that it became much more cost-efficient for Shinji to stack multiple 1-Star spells to get the same effect that of a 2-Star spell.
Multiple 1-Star [Speed Up]
Several vibrant tan-colored spells were released around Shinji's legs.
"Don't you dare.", Shinji ran through a couple of shadowy scythes going for his limbs. Drax didn't catch up to him but rather his aggression had been transferred to Kaitlynn who had controlled several deadly scythes and masterfully targeted everyone in sight.
(Berserk) 2-Star [Hydro-Spiral]
Of course, Sirena who was in a berserk state still have a common survival instinct so she defended against the scythe with a shield. Unfortunately, it wouldn't hold much under multiple scythes. attacking at one time.
Not only that but the berserk state gave different buffs and debuffs to all three of them which each of them took differently.
There is a debuff of rationality that had no effect on Drax who had the system. The effect it had on Kaitlynn was a give and take where her abilities became stronger at the cost of having less mentality. Sirena on the other hand had the cost of her spells become larger than normal due to the 3rd Principle of Magic.
The berserk state still gave off the benefit of physical strength surpassing its biological limiter. Esper's abilities are strengthed, Cultivator's techniques are all strengthed plus their instinctual combat sense, while Mages have the least benefit of more effective spells.
Lastly, Drawbacks are in place for overworking both body and mind. Mages get mana exhaustion while Espers may be passed out for a period of time or even go to a vegetative state for several months but Cultivators are unfortunately affected badly the most.
Cultivators with less rationality and less restraint on their qi may have their meridians broken in the process of being berserk. There is a chance of qi deviation, and physical injuries that may even make a limb go unusable without a proper pill to heal it back in time.
There are always drawbacks when using external factors such as artifacts, potions, and pills but the situation would be different if it were a Natural Artifact. I digress.
Shinji made it on time but instead of blocking the attack, he took Siren on his shoulder and took off, do you think Shinji can actually block that attack?! Are you crazy? Even Sirena couldn't hold on to her spell for long what made you think Shinji could block it?
The first attack Kaitlynn directed at Shinji was assessed to be just strong enough to kill him. It was right on point as Shinji's bones and muscles both dislocated and tore under the attack because the only reason he survived was his spear technique coupled with spells. For whatever reason Kaitlynn still retained enough rationality to think of it, surely it's coming from her ability [Cold Mind].
Sirena pout and held Shinji around the neck very tightly. Even so her berserked state influenced her to chokehold Shinji with her pitiful strength.
'How are you instinctually giving me affection?!!', Shinji was dumbfounded. He still can't understand the logic of how the berserker potion can let such action pass. The only thing he could come up with was that Sirena just ingrained it in her instincts.
Ability: 2-Star Intensified [Poison Fluid]
Spell: Multiple Accelerated 1-Star [Mana Bullet]
Poison-laced Mana bullets emerged from inside his purple fingertips. The poison coagulated instantly and blocked any blood from possibly escaping.
Shinji didn't grimace in pain but he shook a bit after feeling a click somewhere in his brain. His [Blood Fluid] ability had risen to 2-Stars. Not only did it make the chance of success higher but it also meant that Shinji was going in the right direction, the vague approach to how he could strengthen his abilities because somehow they stagnated at some point.
Espers were a mystery, after all, each having different circumstances, and the varying speeds of development were chalked up to training and talent but that was too vague of an answer for Shinji so he kept digging.
The multiple bullets swiftly were aimed through the gap of Kaitlynn's defense. The price for forming the shadows into tangible weapons is seen at its full glory.
The general theory in shadow manipulation for espers is the Theory of Mimesis. Under a Runic Electron Microscope, Researchers were able to find mysterious semi-physical matter materializing out of the shadows. Unfortunately, nothing is universally agreed upon about the properties of this matter due to each shadow manipulator having different properties to their shadow matter.
Right now, Shinji hadn't explained to Kaitlynn that materializing shadows into weapons made it mimic the weapon completely hence the reason for the inflexibility of the scythes.
Drax the brute punches through the projectiles. the poison couldn't penetrate the metal and would get scorched by the lightning. Unfortunately, Shinji made corrosive poison making the metal go brown bit by bit. Kaitlynn waves her hand upward making a wave of shadow block the barrage of bullets.
Technique: 1-Star [Spring Step]
Spells: Multiple Intensified 1-Star [Heal Up], Intensified 1-Star [Leap]
Ability: 2-Star [Poison Fluid]
Shinji made a run for it not turning back. He made sure to always circulate the escape technique and healing spells. He also controls lactic acid to go to his torn muscles speeding up the healing process and fueling his strength.
2-Star [Water Bo-
Shinji interrupts Sirena's attempt at a spell by rolling on the ground and avoiding a scythe going for his head. He dashed straight to the open field. Any tree will have its shadows used as weapons so Shinji avoided them.
Intensified 1-Star [Rot]
The grass around him started wilting and dying out leaving no chance for Kaitlynn to attack from afar. Shinji's thoughts fly around trying his hardest to remember what to do next.
He takes out a storage ring and pierces his tongue. He closes his mouth as supplement pills full of different nutrients appear in his mouth automatically. The ring felt familiar in his mouth but it still made him uncomfortable.
Beforehand he also cuts the large fruits into bite-sized for consumption. The food he cooked this morning was also stored in the ring. Shinji pries Sirena who was desperately 'clinging' to his neck.
"Ah, F-", Shinji shoves Sirena and he rolls sideways. A hammer fist went and broke the ground. Drax had caught up again. Midway through his roll, Shinji places his hands, and spear, on the ground and uses his legs to hit Drax on his neck twice.
2-Star [Water Bomb]
Drax roars as Shinji kicks away from him and rolls again. He dealt some damage to the glass cannon[2]. When he gets back on his feet he staggers a bit after blocking another [Water Bomb] a second later.
The next moment another barrage of scythes goes after him from different directions. Even a chain went out to crush him. Shinji dodges the scythes nimbly and unnaturally by bending his already dislocated bones. He then swings his spear around as the chain wraps around it.
Before the shadow chain wrapped around him, he stabbed the spear into the ground after circling the scythes and took off. 2 hidden blades popped out of the sleeves of his student uniform.
Shinji does a side flip as lightning breezes past him. Unfortunately, he gets zapped by the stray bolts making his body move frantically. Even worse was that Shinji could see in the corner of his eye Sirena shooting a [Water Bomb] straight at Drax.
'Well this is gonna hurt, you and me both Drax...', Shinji wanted to chuckle but had no energy[4].
2-Star [Water Bomb]
And so Shinji and Drax both suffered from extreme shock. Shinji ignored the pain and added in a stab into Drax's jugular.
But out of nowhere, something dinged at Drax's mind.
//
Obtained [Battle Instinct - Lv.1]
//
Drax's foot kicks on the ground and barely avoids the hidden blade.
'He should have gained that skill by now. That cheating bastard...', Shinji thinks in his mind but he also felt relieved, at least his plan hasn't failed so far.
Shinji turns around and faces a shadow spear flying straight at his temple.
'Yeah no.', Shinji couldn't block that attack so he used an alternative.
1-Star [Grease]
He slipped.
So the spear went past his and went straight for Drax. Drax counters with a metallic punch which surprisingly bends the spear.
Kaitlynn aggroed Drax.
Drax ran past Shinji and at high speeds went straight at Kaitlynn who was on the other side of the field.
"Goodbye?", Shinji waves his bloodied hands and runs to Sirena with relief. At least he got a breather.
Multiple 2-Star [Water Bomb]
'Now how should I handle my kawaii girlfriend? Oh look at her glaring at me, I'm touched.', Shinji smiles as he finds a wild Sirena shooting 4 [Water Bomb] spells at him.
He slices through each one but each hidden blade could only endure 2 projectiles each. Shinji clicks his tongue.
"Let's see here...", Shinji throws a left hook only for it to be dodged. Sirena goes for an uppercut so Shinji held her fist down and went with a straight jab but he stopped just inches away.
2-Star [Nightmare Galore]
'I think we all know how this is going. Alters help me.', Shinji looks around the landscape. The ground cracks and he falls right underground. The earth consumes him whole.
'CMON HELP ME!', Shinji's head rings as he escaped Sirena's ability. Unfortunately, his ears bleed out. The other 'Shinji' just chuckles.
"Thank you for your purchase. Give me another 1000 deaths and I'll consider helping you again.", The other 'Shinji' whispers but the voices resounded in the depths of Shinji's mind.
'How about no?', Shinji quips back and backflips away from Sirena who also had her head buzzing. Her aggression however didn't diminish as she ran straight at Shinji again. She couldn't use her ability again till she recovered enough Mentality.
'There is a theory that people in a berserk state always run on instincts rather than limited reasoning...', Shinji grasps Sirena's fist again and went to jab again but this time she dives forward and avoids the attack. Sirena then throws an uppercut and it lands perfectly on his jaw. His mouth bleeds.
'And that means battle instinct can be developed using this method. Especially of this talented assassin.', Shinji chuckles as Sirena's punch was unfortunately very weak. Sadly, his bones broke already so his jaw was easily fragile.
Shinji performed judo and incapacitates Sirena, "Stay there. The 2 monsters are gonna kill each other.", He also applies [Glow] on her and leaves.
'AUGHGHGH.', Shinji ran and felt his jaw and puts it back in place. He takes out 2 gauntlets from his magic pouch and while running with [Spring Step]
His new muscles that healed over time are starting to show visible change. Shinji coughs up a lot of black blood that is the product of a huge amount of dead cells. He catches it on his palm.
Shinji would be heaving hardly right now. When he realized this, Shinji got his motivation back again.
'Can't quit now. Finish it. Finish IT!', Shinji ran and went to his limit. If he could, he would have gone past his limit but unfortunately in this world, you would die for doing that[3].
1-Star [Spring Step]
Shinji continues chewing on the constant flow of fruits in his mouth. He's moving faster by small increments and his qi starts from seeming greenish to a deeper shade. The qi releases from his soles and seems to spiral and burst whenever he leaps forward as if it were pushing him.
[Spring Step] is the concept of leaping through spring footwork through the sole of the feet. Now one would think at first glance that this technique is only capable of pushing you forward... and you would be right BUT there is still some mobility than can be acquired at a higher mastery.
Several shadowy weapons were thrown at him with a broadsword leading the front.
At the intermediate mastery for [Spring Step], one can position themselves in a way to spring in all directions and of course farther leaping and faster speed. Perfection gives even more mobility to the practitioner, the spring being able to help make a parabolic movement. Shinji also made a little trick with the advantage of Perfect mastery over [Spring Step].
[Spring Step: Parabolic Flip]
Shinji spins in the air and goes through the barrage of weapons like a badass. When he arrives near the broadsword, he kicks it and uses it as support for another step. He springs through and sees a rabid Drax thrashing around as multiple amounts of chains overwhelm him.
Unfortunately, the cold-hearted Shinji wasn't focusing on that, 'Oh, he must have leveled a lot to have survived this long.'
He sees Drax covering both his arms in [Iron Enforce] and breaking the multiple chains, unfortunately, his mobility is limited so his strength, which was influenced by his speed, is handicapped.
[1]: [Author learned about postulates in class. He's gonna take advantage of that]
[2]: [The gaming term glass cannon means high ATK but low DEF or HP]
[3]: [I chuckled at the Author's nitpicking. He knows it is a metaphor but he says that going over one's limit is impossible...because it is self-explained, it's a limit. Therefore for there to be a higher limit one must grow it or make a pay-off for a temporary boost earlier than they are fated to be. He's overthinking way too much. Anyway the sauce you are expecting, Black Clover]
[4]: [This reminded the Author of the term 'Wanted to cry but had no tears']
.
.
.
Author's Note:
Should have finished this yesterday. ;-;