As Lassim arrived back at his cultivation cave, he felt a surge of excitement coursing through him, eager to begin. .
Using the jade bracelet, he activated the entrance spell, allowing him access to his secluded training grounds. Inside the cave, the air was still, and the only sound was the gentle drip of water echoing from the distant walls.
Settling down, with the two tomes in hand, he entered his meditation chamber, the familiar surroundings and increased elemental energies in the air comforting him as he prepared for the intense memorization he'd need. Lassim sat on the jade prayer mat and focused his mind.
He spent a couple of hours meticulously memorizing the contents of the books, absorbing every detail of the lightning and water cultivation techniques. He visualized the pathways of the elements within his body, tracing their movements and connections with each passing moment.
With the knowledge firmly implanted in his mind, he stored the two books inside of the jade bracelet's inner space and began to practice the techniques.
Starting with the [Thunderstorm Formation], he moved slowly and deliberately, allowing the energy to flow through him as he performed the required movements along his pathways. The static charge of lightning crackled around him.
But as he continued, he felt a strong imbalance between his spirits, they reached out through the mental connection with a complex emotion that he couldn't quite understand, sending shivers down his spine. It was as if they were trying to convey something to him, a message hidden within the depths of their connection.
Quickly, he switched to the [Tidal Wave] technique, hoping to find a better balance between the elements. Yet, once again, he felt the same imbalance, the same message, yet now with the conflicting energies threatening to overwhelm him.
Suddenly, without warning, the spirits took control of the energies, rotating them simultaneously within his body. One spirit practicing the [Thunderstorm Formation] and the other [Tidal Wave]. Both techniques erupted without his control inside his body, a clash of destruction inside him, causing a surge of pain to shoot through his veins. He grit his teeth and pushed through, determined to regain control.
Listening carefully to the hints and emotions from his spirits, he focused his mind, searching for a solution to the chaos raging within him.
And then, with a flash of lightning energy bursting through the entirety of the cave's gathered elemental energy, mysteriously, like a strike of lightning from the heavens touching the mental connection between the spirits and Lassim, an epiphany occurred.
With a sudden burst of clarity, he adjusted the pathways of the elements, redirecting their flow with precision. A surge of elemental energy erupted from his core, filling the cave with a blinding light. The air crackled with electricity as a literal storm began to brew overhead.
Water droplets condensed in the air, swirling around him in a frenzy, a dark gray cloud overhead, while bolts of lightning struck the ground with ferocious intensity. The newly created technique had easily generated a storm in a split second after gaining control and using the new channels with both elements combined.
Breathing heavily, Lassim had stood up from the prayer mat in the center of the meditation chamber, his body charged with raw elemental power. A sense of pride swelled within him as he gazed upon the storm he had created around him.
With the storm raging around him, Lassim knew that he had been guided to this answer by something powerful.
"Famthar," Lassim muttered with suspicion and pause.
Another quick flash of lightning blinded him for a moment, charging through the elements as if having heard his muttering.
The words of this powerful cultivation technique appeared in his mindー[Storm Bringer].
Calming the storm and slowing the raging energy circulation of the cultivation technique, Lassim was exhausted from the possible near death he experienced a moment ago. One small slip-up and the energies could have made him explode to pieces.
Thankful for the divine intervention, Lassim took a moment to study the technique in his head. Yet, he was even more shocked to the core when he noticed inside of his heart world was an ancient looking tablet floating in a ball of lightning. It was the [Storm Bringer] technique, but it appeared the crisscrossing of the web of lightning was preventing the bottom portions of the cultivation steps from being read.
Attempting to peer into it's mysteries as it was clearly a technique not meant for just the Spirit Incubation to Spirit Growth stage. He suspected it might take him much further beyond that after noticing that only the first few diagrams and lines were visible. There was still a further 98% of it completely unreadable!
"Well, at least that solves my problem of the cultivation techniques. Wish you could've given this to me sooner so I didn't waste a token." Complained Lassim, eyeing the room. The lightning energy didn't seem to react this time, so it was time to move on.
"Now, how to combine this into a halberd technique." He pondered, scratching his head in deep thought.
As Lassim moved out to the courtyard area to avoid damaging the meditation room, he began brainstorming. He paced back and forth, deep in thought, trying to visualize how he could integrate the [Storm Bringer] technique's elemental pathways with the move set of his family's [Fire Halberd] technique.
Slowly, he took a strong stance and forced his halberd forward, he channeled the power of the storm within him, feeling the crackling energy surge through his veins. The clash of lightning and water within him was chaotic yet exhilarating, and he struggled to find the perfect balance between the two elements and the foundation he had built that was intended for a fire elemental user.
As he experimented with different combinations of energy levels and intensity, he made mental notes of how each move changed and reacted. Over time, the [Fire Halberd] technique seemed to begin to dance with the power of storm, each strike imbued with the quickness of lightning and the fluidity of water.
After hours of trial and error, he finally felt a breakthrough. With a surge of inspiration, he completed what he would call his first moveー[Storm Bringer's Thrust].
In this move, he channels the swirling energy of the storm into the tip of his halberd, down the shaft, forming a crackling sheath of lightning-infused water. With a powerful thrust, he releases the energy forward, unleashing a devastating thrust that whistles through the air with incredible speed and force.
As the lightning and water strikes, it creates a deafening roar, illuminating the courtyard with its blinding light. It sent cracks through the nearby wall. The sheer power of the attack was enough to send shockwaves rippling through the air as it struck, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
"Nice." Lassim grinned from ear to ear.
"Thrust is complete. I'll still need to adapt Pierce, Sweep, Slash, Slam and Block to complete the set, but at least I can finally utilize my own power in the Spirit Incubation ranks. I feel more confident now for the spirit grass gathering mission if we run into any wild beasts. That Night Mind Tiger from the trial wouldn't have even lasted half a second against me if I had known [Storm Bringer]'s Thrust at that time."
Exhausted from the extended training session, he checked his jade bracelet for tomorrow's schedule.
"Oh, the academy's training grounds? Battle Mastery class, huh. Sounds fun." He was eager to show his new found comrades his increased power and show off a bit.
"Oh shoot, just a few hours away. I better get some rest."
Lassim then took a quick shower to wash away the sweat and grime from the day's training. The warm water felt soothing against his tired muscles, and he let out a contented sigh as he washed away the day's exhaustion.
Afterward, he settled down in his bed, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over him. The events of the day replayed in his mind, and he couldn't help but replay the earlier lesson where he witnessed a hologram of the Dragal for the first time and the minions of the abyss. These terrifying foes would be his enemies on the battlefield sooner or later. He hoped that he could at least be strong enough in time for whatever Famthar and the other gods foretold was going to happen.
As he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, he felt a sense of unbridled confidence that he would at least prepare step by step until then.
In his dream, Lassim found himself standing on a vast battlefield, surrounded by allies clad in armor, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. The air crackled with anticipation as they faced off against a seemingly endless horde of demonic creatures pouring forth from the depths of the abyss.
With a resounding cry, his comrades rallied behind him, shouting his name, "THE STORM BRINGER!" Their voices echoed across the battlefield, filling him with a sense of strength and determination.
With his halberd in hand, he charged into the fray, the power of the storm surging through him. With each swing of his weapon, waves of lightning and water energy rippled outward, cutting through the enemy ranks like a scythe through wheat.
Minions of darkness fell before him in droves, their twisted forms rent asunder by the force of his attacks. Even as they multiplied and surged forward, he stood firm, his resolve unwavering.
In the midst of the chaos, three towering Dragals emerged, their roars shaking the very earth beneath his feet. But he did not falter. With a fierce battle cry, he met them head-on, his halberd flashing like lightning in the darkness.
With each strike, he carved through their thick scales, sending arcs of electricity dancing across their bodies. The combined might of his elemental energies proved too much for them to withstand, and one by one, the mighty beasts fell before him.
As the last of the enemy forces crumbled to dust, Lassim stood victorious amongst the wreckage of battle. The cheers of his comrades rang out around him, their voices a chorus of triumph and gratitude.
As the dream faded and he woke, he couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration. He also felt a bit silly for having such a dream of grandeur after only mastering one single cultivation technique and battle movement. Shaking his head at his own naivety, he set off to begin his second day at the academy.