After several attempts. Drake devised
a new approach. He began by slowly
inhaling, deliberately creating a gentle
rhythm that applied continued pressure
on the reverse crystal embedded in his
heart, with each breath drawing air
deeply into his lungs, expanding his
chest, and slightly compressing the
space around the heart. As the lungs
expanded, the pressure pushed against
the heart, prompting the reverse crystal
to begin rotating. This subtle
compression synchronised with his
steady heartbeat, applying constant
pressure to the reverse crystal,causing it
to spin.
There are three steps to this method.
' The Inhale ', Drake took a deep and
slow breath, which expanded his chest
cavity, gently pressing on the heart. This
slight compression is enough to initiate
the reverse crystal spinning.
Secondly, in 'Heartbeat Pulse', in this
step, Drake's heartbeat acted as a
rhythmic driver. Each beat produced sent
a small wave of pressure through the
heart, which helped to maintain the
crystal's rotation. These first two steps
are timed carefully such that every
breath is synchronised perfectly with the
pulse, creating a continuous, unbroken
spin.
And lastly, 'The Exhale.' His chest
cavity contracted, releasing some of the
pressure. However, the momentum of
the reverse crystal keeps it spinning at a
steady pace, which allowed for the
balanced intake of mana, preventing
Drake's body from overloading or losing
control.
This technique akin to the peaceful,
steady orbit of a planet around the sun,
drawing in mana with each oscillation.
However, the reverse scale's rotation is
currently very slow, resulting in minimal
mana absorption. At the moment, it
takes the reverse scale 30 minutes to
complete one oscillation, providing only
50 units of mana.
Inspired by the 'Twin Pulse
Resonance Technique' and the pressure
experienced in the vacuum room, Drake
named this new breathing technique
'Celestial Inhale'.
Unlike other assimilating techniques
that are more aggressive, celestial
inhale focused on a steady and gradual
buildup of mana. This made it possible
for Drake to endure prolonged periods of
mana assimilation without straining his
body. This makes it an effective and
graceful technique for steady
assimilation of mana over time.
Drake stepped out of the mental
strength sanctuary, shielding his eyes
from the intense sunlight. Mark and
Freya were waiting for him outside the
building, holding back Xena, who was
eager to rush inside. "Sister-in-law, you
need to be patient." Mark said, wrapping
his left arm around his waist to keep
restrained. "Let's me go; every other
student has left; he's the only one still
inside." She insisted, planting her feet
firmly, trying to pull away from their grip.
"You don't have to worry. If anything
happens, there are people inside who
will come to his aid." Freya reassured
her, but this did not ease Xena's anxiety.
Drake approached them. "What's
going on?" He said, looking curiously.
They were all frozen and stunned by
Drake's voice. They all turned towards
him in unison. "My Crux." "Buddy."
"Drake." They shouted together as their
voices overlapped.
Mark and Freya quickly released Xena,
and she darted forward, leaping into
Drake's arms, her boobs colliding with
his, leaving both Freya and Mark to turn
away, their faces reddening as they
awkwardly cleared their throats.
Drake gently put Xena down, patting
her head. "I must have made you worry."
He said, but Xena with a graceful. He
turned to others and said, "Sorry for
keeping you all waiting." He added.
Freya and Mark wave their hands
dismissively. "Not really," Mark replied.
"We just arrived here today, compere to
her, who has been here for three days
straight."
After a brief exchange of words, "Let
not waste anymore time." Let's get the
important things for our departure and
head out of the academy to check out
the market scene." Drake said, and
others nodded in agreement.
Drake held Xena's hand, leading the
way while Mark and Freya followed
behind. They stepped out of the
academy premises and made their way
towards the buzzed business district. To
Drake's surprise, the district is even
more crowded with displayed goods than
it was the day he first arrived at the
academy.
They continued to explore, admiring
the lively scene as they watched various
merchants calling out to customers
while others were busy attending to their
clients, and there were some who were
still unpacking their goods.
They were exploring the business
district when they heard noise erupting
behind them. They all turned and saw 10
students dressing in sky blue uniforms
with white stripes approaching.
Everyone around them moved aside,
clearing the road for them.
"Are they not the academy seniors?"
One of the customers asked a merchant.
"Yeah," the merchant replied. "They
are out here because today is one of their
important days." He explained.
"But I heard they were all attacked
and killed during their assessment." The
customer whispered. The marchant
instantly pulled him close, covering his
mouth. "Don't you know, it's taboo to talk
about that now."
Drake was eavesdropping on their
conversation and got startled when Mark
and Freya pulled him and Xena to the
roadside. Out of curiosity, Drake turned
to Mark. "Why was everyone clearing the
way for them?"
Mark leaned towards him, covering
his mouth with his right hand. "Because
that's the rule. They are recognised as
the future warriors and mage of this
continent." He explained and returned
back to his position.
Drake is still pondering the
conversation he overheard, wondering
what could have happened on the day of
the incident to make it such a forbid
topic. Xena tugged him.
"My Crux, strawberry cake." She
pointed at a merchant selling cakes and
candy across the street. They all crossed
over to the other side, walking towards
the pop-up shop.
Seeing them approaching his shop,
the merchant stepped forward to attend
to them. "What do you want to buy,
young stars?" Each of these is freshly
made." He said, advertising his products.
"How much do you sell your cakes?"
Drake inquired. "A pack of twelve pieces
cost one sliver coin." The merchant
replied, raising his right index finger.
"Okay,"
Drake reached into his bag and pulled
out four silver. "Please arrange four
packs." He handed the coins to the
merchant.
At the same time, at a neighbouring
shop next to the pop-up shop, old books
were displayed and some scattered on
the floor. Freya and Mark left Mark to his
purchase and assist the elderly
merchant in picking up and arranging the
books.
As they do, a particular book caught
Freya's eye. She stood up, flipping
through it. "How much for the book?" she
asked. The old man glanced at the book
in her hands and then at her. "You can
have the book if you want."
Out of conscience. "I can't take this for
free. How will you make a profit if you
just give it away?" She lamented. "You
don't need to worry, the book doesn't
cost much, and it's been in my shop for a
long time without anyone buying it." The
old man assured her.
Since it had piqued her interest, she
hesitatedly accepted the book. "Thank
you very much. I really appreciate it."
She said, bowing slightly to the old man.
Then she and Mark returned to join
Drake.
Seeing them coming back, Drake
enquired about their detour, and they
explained, showing him the book. He
asked Freya if he could take a look, and
she handed it to him. As he flipped
through the book, he was surprised to
find a familiar name. 'Battle Remedies:
The Alchemy of Healing Magic.' Written
by 'Tiberius Victor.'