Chereads / Bound by scale and flame / Chapter 40 - Chapter 40 (celestial inhale)

Chapter 40 - Chapter 40 (celestial inhale)

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.'