NOVEL NEXT Chap 197: Precision Through Persistence.
"Long time without seeing you." The four bracelets stored in my dimensional wristband come out after so long. Since I couldn't use mana properly for several weeks—and with the risk of losing a limb each time I used them—I preferred to keep them stored all this time.
I put each bracelet on as usual. I really missed the feeling of adrenaline when using them. Every attempt to improve with these toys is like playing Russian roulette—you never know if things will go well, if you'll get slightly injured, or if you'll end up losing a limb. Definitely not the last one.
"First attempt after a long time." I'm a little nervous about using the bracelets again. I've spent several weeks with only minimal progress, and I doubt that will change this time, but… what if I manage to do it without getting hurt? My Imra control has improved, and my mana manipulation has evolved since reaching Sapphire rank.
I inhale deeply before releasing it slowly. "Let's do this." I let a layer of Imra flow through my entire body to protect it within the fabric of space. Mana gathers inside the bracelets at the same time, both almost completing their process together, and I activate the spatial jump function.
The jump lasts as always—a blink, and I'm already at the place I chose to move to. In that short fraction of a second, I can't detect anything from the space fabric that my body passes through before reappearing elsewhere. I look at the ground beneath my feet; I seem to have missed the landing by a few centimeters. So far, everything looks fine.
It only seems fine. My arms, however, are injured—one has disappeared halfway past the elbow, and the other is bleeding just before it. The bracelets fall to the floor, echoing several times, and in that span, I've already healed both arms completely. I crouch to pick up my toys, letting out a tired sigh. Nothing seems to have improved.
I put them back on for another try, again and again, until I run out of mana—playing this game of destroying my limbs. I lie down on the floor with my eyes closed, thinking about why I haven't been able to improve, even though my Imra and mana control are both far better now that I'm Sapphire rank.
In the last few tries, I've only lost parts of one or two limbs, mostly before the elbow from the hand. That's a huge improvement compared to the first time when I nearly lost everything. Still, I don't know how to get out of this hole I'm stuck in. My Imra control for protecting my body is almost perfect, but I still have small flaws in certain areas, which cause the most vulnerable parts to be lost.
Can someone achieve perfect control? That should be impossible at my current rank. The word perfection itself isn't something simple. Should I approach it from another angle? But… how?
While thinking about how to improve my Imra control, I remember Professor Jhonny. The old professor has exceptional control—he can sense and manipulate his Imra over a large area filled with people.
I open my eyes immediately. The items I've practiced with this week could help fix those small details. The ability to use Imra across an area is impressive, but that's not what I need now. I need a fine and precise control—like a doctor performing surgery. Those items might help me with that delicate precision.
Now for the matter of mana, that's something else I must find a solution for. I remember Gase's explanation: you have to infuse the same amount of mana into all four at the same time, and it must be extremely precise. The margin of error is very small, and staying within that range isn't easy—it's all about precision and practice.
My mind kept turning for almost an hour until I reached a simple conclusion: practice. There's no other way to find the exact amount except by repetition—doing it hundreds, or even thousands of times—until my brain learns to infuse the exact amount of mana into the four bracelets without exceeding the margin.
"I've got three weeks left before my exhibition match with Areci…" Susan delayed the tournament as much as she could—two extra weeks to let me finish recovering. In the end, it wasn't even necessary, but it can't be changed now. I won't complain about having more time to train; I can use these weeks to adjust to my new power.
No one has told me Areci's affinity directly, and I haven't asked anyone outside her personal circle either. Areci literally said, "It's a surprise. A lady must have some secrets," while hiding her laughter behind her hand. I didn't ask any more after that. Going blind will make it more interesting anyway—not knowing much about her will make me adapt as the fight goes on.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Areci is a limit breaker like me. She's been at Sapphire rank for three years now, and her Banner is almost fully developed—she only needs a small push to reach the next level. She also told me she has greater physical strength than I do after seeing my armor construction. Her eyes weren't those of someone boasting; they simply showed a fact.
I push myself off the ground, jump, and land on my feet. I could choose a mixed combat style, attacking both at long range and close quarters, but that wouldn't be very exciting from my perspective—and I don't want to show all my strength either. It's better to keep it purely close combat and only use ranged skills if she does first.
If I want to match her in close combat, I must improve my abilities somehow. Raising a skill to rank V is impossible right now. From what I've learned from fellow instructors and some books, it could take years—or in some cases, it's impossible to reach rank V without becoming Ruby rank first.
My ice affinity is already near its limit for my current rank. I've greatly improved in lowering the temperature of my spells—they now create frost almost instantly—but I can't find another way to improve it besides flooding it with mana or making it "colder" to increase the damage. Being realistic, I won't progress much further in such a short time.
My lightning affinity already gives me everything I need: it accelerates my thoughts, enhances my reflexes, and sharpens my reactions. I can't ask for more from it without hurting myself. According to my father, the human body can only handle a limited amount of electricity before overloading and becoming paralyzed. He's had many experiences like that—ones that almost cost him his life. I don't want to go through the same.
My death-type mana is at a balanced point. Being a special affinity, it's difficult to improve or reinterpret it. I simply use it for what it is—to kill or accelerate death with each strike.
"I guess I have no other choice…" It's something I already tried once when fighting Basel. It's about using my gravity affinity in short bursts on specific points to boost and accelerate each movement or strike. I just need to focus on one particular point, release the exact amount of gravity to accelerate my motion without breaking myself, and connect.
In theory, it sounds easy. In practice, I've already realized it's not. Handling gravity isn't as simple as I thought. I move my arm slowly to practice; the first gravity pulse goes to my wrist, and nothing happens. I used too little gravity to cause any noticeable effect.
The second attempt is more accurate; my wrist accelerates, and the sword draws a horizontal slash faster than expected. I use my other sword to block the slash before it pierces my chest—it was a close call. This time, the problem wasn't the lack of gravity, but the fact that I only applied it in one spot. I didn't accelerate my arm during the stretch and bend before boosting the wrist.
Even for a simple movement, there are many steps to follow. My movements are like those of a butterfly—shifting and free. If I'm not careful or if my control isn't precise, it becomes dangerous. With too much force, I'll lose my balance or stability; too little, and my strike won't reach its target, possibly leaving me open to injury.
I have to add each gravity pulse precisely to every part of my body—or to areas planned beforehand for each motion. The only way to achieve that is through daily practice—training for hours and hours until my brain adapts to every situation and responds accordingly. "This reminds me of my childhood…" Thinking about training something new feels exciting, just like when I first arrived in this world and discovered magic and Imra.
"If there's something I'm good at, it's being stubborn and training until I achieve it." My voice echoes through the dome; no one can hear me, and since Glia is sleeping, I can't talk to her either. I miss my grandmother. With her, I could train for hours before dawn every day. I could ask any of my new friends, but I want to surprise them at the event.
I chuckle at the thought of future events. I can already imagine their surprised faces as they jump on me to ask countless questions again, just like before. "Yes, I have to train to surprise them." A huge smile forms on my face, full of anticipation.
My new training consists of moving my body in slow motion while sending gravity bursts into each necessary part to increase the speed of my attacks without losing precision or stability. Slowly and steadily… very slowly… after several hours of practice, I finally manage to move my arms with some natural flow. I trace a slash, boost the movement with my affinity, move my legs with the added impulse while imagining how my invisible opponent reacts, and adjust my position again to make another gravity-boosted slash.
Hours and hours of training have brought some progress. My control over gravity has improved, and my boosted movements no longer feel completely awkward. My Thundersnow has done a great job keeping me sane—the slow strikes nearly bored me to death at first.
Since it's the fifth day of the week and I have no classes or plans tomorrow, I've decided to stay and train for as long as necessary. I don't care about spending the full 46-hour weekend locked inside this dome; I'll make the most of my free time until I achieve something useful.