Now that he had unlocked the skills Atomic Collapse and Atomic Reconstruction, Lancer felt it was time to experiment. He pulled out the spear Nero had given him. Despite its sentimental value, it had never quite suited him—it was too heavy, awkwardly balanced, and unwieldy even after sparring with both Selene and Remus.
He decided to break it down. With the help of the system, he restructured the material into something entirely new. The iron-gray spear transformed into a sleek, silvery weapon, gleaming in the sunlight. Using Architect's Dominion, he analyzed the atomic structure of the newly formed metal. It was far lighter than before but also significantly more durable.
Satisfied, he mentally patted himself on the back and set out to show his creation to Remus. His friend was immediately impressed. "This is incredible, Lancer," Remus said, holding the spear up to examine its sheen.
Livia, standing nearby, asked, "Does this metal exist anywhere else? I've never seen anything like it."
Lancer shrugged. "Not that I know of."
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, if it doesn't, I bet it would fetch a huge price. What's it called, anyway?"
"Uh…" Lancer scratched his head. "I haven't named it yet."
Later, as he contemplated what else to create, inspiration struck. He was tired of living in Nero's stone house with its crude wooden windows. What he really wanted was glass. Lancer vaguely remembered that glass was made from quartz back on Earth, though he wasn't sure if that held true in this world.
He asked the system, but it informed him that there were no quartz-containing minerals nearby. However, with Architect's Dominion, he could search for materials with similar atomic structures. Intrigued, he initiated the scan.
The range of his skill now astonished him; the upgrade from having over 500,000 magic points made it far more expansive. About 150 kilometers to the east, he detected sand, and beyond that, a vast sea. From what the system showed him, the village was situated on the northeastern edge of the continent, with the nearest other human settlement located over 100 kilometers west.
Thanks to Soul Command, a skill he'd absorbed from Alastor, he could differentiate between humanoids and animals. There was no sign of other humans near the sand or the beach, which reassured him. He decided he would plan a visit to the coast later, curious about what else he might discover.
However, he had a problem: how to actually get to the coast. Based on what he had seen so far, it was unlikely this world had cars or anything resembling fast travel. Walking there would take days. As he pondered his options, the system offered a suggestion.
[You could make use of the Anemoi.]
He blinked. "The what?"
[The Anemoi are part of a group of horse-like storm spirits. Their movement speed is exceptionally high.]
Lancer raised an eyebrow. "Okay, but if they're so fast, how am I supposed to catch them? And they're spirits, right? So I'm guessing Atomic Collapse won't work on them."
[Correct. However, with Soul Command, it is possible to absorb spiritual life forms and use their abilities.]
Lancer's mind raced. "Alright, let's do this. Where can I find them?"
[The Anemoi manifest during storms.]
He sighed. Of course, there had to be a catch. "Guess there's nothing to do but wait, then."
As Lancer returned to the village, he couldn't shake the thought of how absurd this all was. First, he had absorbed the essence of some freakishly large bats, and now he was storm-chasing for mythical spirit horses. He met up with Remus, who was carrying a haul of fresh game.
"Any luck?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow as Lancer approached.
"Sort of," Lancer replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got what I needed for flight, but apparently, it's too slow to be useful. Looks like I'll still need the Anemoi after all."
Remus chuckled. "I can't say I envy your plan. Storm-chasing doesn't exactly sound like fun."
"How long do I have to wait anyway?"
[Confirmed. Current atmospheric conditions suggest a thunderstorm will develop in the region in approximately two days.]
Lancer nodded. "That gives me some time to prepare. If I'm going to hunt down an Anemoi, I'll need to be ready for a fight."
The next two days passed in a blur. Lancer spent the time practicing his new Flight ability, using it in combination with his other skills to sharpen his maneuverability. He reconstructed the wings multiple times, experimenting with shapes and densities until they felt efficient enough for short bursts of speed and agility.
The villagers watched with awe as Lancer darted through the skies above the village.
Finally, the day of the storm arrived. Thick, dark clouds gathered over the Atherian forest, and the air was heavy with the promise of rain. Lancer stood at the edge of the village, staring up at the roiling sky.
"You sure you don't need backup?" Livia asked.
"I'll be fine," Lancer assured her. "I can absorb them pretty easily. It's just a matter of catching one."
Remus smirked. "Just don't get fried by lightning while you're up there."
Lancer rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
He launched into the air, the reconstructed wings carrying him swiftly upward. As he ascended, the wind picked up, and the first drops of rain began to fall.
[Target detected. Anemoi are present within the storm system.]
"Alright," Lancer muttered. "Let's do this."
The storm intensified as he flew higher. Sheets of rain lashed against him, and flashes of lightning illuminated the swirling clouds. Then he saw them—four sleek, shimmering figures racing through the storm. They looked like horses, but their bodies were dark like the clouds, crackling with arcs of lightning as they galloped through the sky.
[Anemoi detected. Preparing to synchronize target data for interception.]
Lancer gritted his teeth. "Here goes nothing."
He shot forward, wings straining against the fierce winds as he closed the distance. One of the Anemoi turned its head, its glowing eyes locking onto him. It whinnied, a sound like rolling thunder, and broke away from the group, charging straight at him.
Lancer barely had time to react as the Anemoi collided with him, knocking him backward. He stabilized himself mid-air, then reached out with Soul Command.
However the horse kept dodging every time as if it sensed what was going to happen.
"Great," Lancer muttered. He summoned a crystal blade with Atomic Reconstruction and hurled it at the Anemoi. The blade struck true, grazing its flank and disrupting its form. Taking advantage of the distraction, Lancer lunged forward, both hands outstretched.
[Absorption successful. You have gained the skill Storm Surge and enhanced Flight capabilities.]
As the Anemoi dissolved into energy, Lancer felt a surge of power flood his body. The storm around him seemed to calm slightly, as if acknowledging his victory.
"One down," he said, glancing at the remaining three Anemoi still galloping through the storm. "Now, let's see how fast this new Flight ability really is."
He shot forward, a streak of silver against the dark sky, as the storm raged on.