Single Wish: Rise Of The Omniscient Paragon

Both Corey and Jeremy stood beneath a large tree which acted as a shade for both of them.

Jeremy had an expression filled with anticipation as he removed his crown and robes, leaving only his armor on.

Meanwhile, Corey was looking at the sky, wondering how he had put himself in such a situation despite having no desire to do so.

He looked at Jeremy, and then he shook his head. He knew exactly why he changed his mind and chose to teach the Hero.

It was because he was impressed by his desire to get stronger.

There were very few people he had met who had the same desire to get stronger, and he felt that it would be a shame for a man with such determination to die easily.

'He wants to get stronger, and I also want more power... It sounds like we both want the same thing, but what we both want is not the same at all.'

'Jeremy wants to get stronger, even if it's only a minor increase. I doubt he knows how high the peak of power is, and that we're so far away from it.'

'I know... or should I say, I have an idea about how high the peak of power is.'

'I want power. I want to reach the peak. Not just get stronger.'

Corey looked at Jeremy.

'His determination and unwillingness to give up is very high. But... Sigh... Let's forget about that for now.'

'At least he's a good guy, and-'

Crack

Corey's thoughts were disrupted by the approach of Jeremy Draker who stepped on a broken branch that had fallen from the tree.

His right hand was on his sword as he stood with a glint of excitement in his eyes.

"So. What am I learning?"

Corey raised a brow and scoffed. "Remove that armor and drop your sword. We're not using any weapons."

"Huh?" Jeremy blinked in confusion. "Then how will I get stronger."

Corey looked at him with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Do you want me to teach you or not?"

"Fine. I'll listen."

"Good."

Jeremy's left eye twitched, and then he began removing his armor, causing a rather loud clang.

A few minutes later, Jeremy stood in a white T-shirt, and a pair of black pants.

Corey nodded. "Good. Now. Sit."

Jeremy's lips twitched, but he did as he was told despite feeling like Corey was treating him like a dog.

Corey folded his arms, and his expression was neither stern nor gentle. It was absolute. It was the kind of gaze that left no room for nonsense or delusion.

"Jeremy," Corey said with a calm but heavy voice, "today, I will teach you something more valuable than a thousand powerful sword moves or spells... Breath Control."

A flicker of confusion and suspicion flashes in Jeremy's eyes. "Breath... control? Are you toying with me? Is this revenge for pestering you? Cause if it is, I'd rather leave. What is Breath Control? I already breathe, don't I?"

Corey's lips curved faintly, not into a smile, but into something sharper. "This is why I call you weak."

A deep frown instantly emerged on Jeremy's face.

"Breathing is the act of staying alive. What I will teach you is the act of fighting while alive. Understand this difference."

Jeremy subconsciously swallowed, and then he nodded.

"Not many people know about the advantages of Breath Control, and those that know about it, ignore it and don't bother practicing it."

"Imagine taking just a single breath, and you utilize that single breath throughout a battle. If you perfect it, you'll be able to battle for an extremely long time."

"In fact, it might seem like you have infinite stamina to some people. Your stamina recovery rate would also be extremely high."

"Although it's not an extremely important technique one should have, it grants one better control and understanding over their body and the control and movement of the energies in their bodies."

Corey stepped closer. His Eyes of Omniscience flashed into existence, and Jeremy suddenly felt as though nearly every secret that was in his body had been laid bare in front of Corey.

It was an extremely disturbing feeling.

Meanwhile, Corey's gaze pierced past his skin, past his muscles, down into his trembling organs and sluggish veins that gave him power.

"Your lungs expand unevenly," Corey said as a matter of fact. "Your diaphragm tremblez when you exert force. Your heart stutters with panic when you're pressured like now. You waste nearly forty percent of your stamina just because your body doesn't know how to breathe correctly. Pathetic, but correctable."

Jeremy blinked with a stunned expression, clearly not understanding what Corey was talking about.

Corey shook his head, but that didn't stop him from continuing.

"Now," Corey continued, "listen carefully. I have read and studied a lot of books on Breath Control, and I can proudly say that I know quite a lot about Breath Control."

"I split Breath Control into three pillars: Regulation, Amplification, and Harmonization."

He raised a finger for each point.

"Regulation means controlling the rhythm of your inhale and exhale. Every breath should have a purpose. Too fast, and you suffocate your own strength. Too slow, and you miss the tempo of battle."

Jeremy tried to mimic, sucking in a breath and holding it.

Corey's hand snapped out, and he tapped him in the chest with a not so light touch. "Wrong. You're locking your lungs like a panicked child. Breath is not a prison. It is a current. Flow with it."

Jeremy let out the air shakily and began coughing.

"The second pillar is Amplification," Corey went on and completely ignored the sputtering Jeremy. "By drawing oxygen with precision, you saturate the blood. Your muscles harden, your speed sharpens, and the pain you feel dulls. For a moment, you may wield a body far beyond its limits. But if you overuse it, your organs will tear, your vessels will burst, and your mind will collapse into delirium."

Jeremy blinked rapidly. "That sounds.... dangerous."

Corey's expression didn't change in the slightest. "Power is dangerous. Weakness is fatal. Choose which you prefer."

Jeremy gritted his teeth. "... Continue."