With his eyes closed, Elio could see the elemental world in all its complexity. The interactions between elements, their patterns, their infinite possibilities unfolded before him like a living tapestry.
But knowledge only made the realization more bitter, no matter how much he understood, how many combinations he mastered, how much he improved his defense and utility... his damage remained insufficient against Zahyla's two million resistance.
The summoning structure that the god had left floated in his mind like a mockery: H + 2He + 3Li* + 4Ni* + 5Fe* + 6C* + 7N* + 8O* + 9F* + 10Ne* + Mana = Summoning Matrix
Ten different elements, each requiring precise and simultaneous control.
The supposed amplification it promised seemed more distant each time he attempted it.
Controlling so many variables at once was like trying to hold water with open hands; something always slipped away.
