No matter how much Stas wanted to start mastering healing and earth techniques right now, he simply couldn't.

The Healing Sleep had put Leviathan into a very deep state of anabiosis. All processes in the snake's body were slowed down dozens of times. Moreover, this technique passively nourished her, further delaying the time of death and the possibility of starvation.

The technique itself was very complex and required some knowledge of seals, so only a few people could activate it. Fortunately, Hideo Sumada was one of them.

Under such conditions, Stas had about three to four months to find a solution. The term might have seemed quite long if it hadn't been for the complexity of mastering the local magical tricks.

And Ordyntsev's situation was even worse because he needed not only to learn them but also to come up with them in the first place.

The sheer grandeur of the task almost made Stas throw in the towel.

Everything was too vague and complicated to develop any plans.

The man felt like an undereducated student who, for some reason, had been pulled out of the lecture hall and, under threat of execution, was forced to perform heart surgery. And of all his knowledge, he had only a textbook lying next to him that he had never even opened!

Nevertheless, panic aside, he had to start doing something.

It turned out that during his absence, Minoru had done a great job on the dungeon. When asked if she mastered earth magic, the yokai smiled mysteriously and said something like, "Water magic in skilled hands can work wonders."

Besides that, the ancient entity also thought about comfort.

Thus, along the walls, at certain intervals, there were attached small glowing lights that were, in fact, genuine spirits of the simplest kind.

As Stas understood, Minoru had created them herself by infusing the air with her power. This opened up interesting theories about the nature of the spiritual beings in this world.

In one of the rooms she created, Ordyntsev settled down, having gone thoroughly over the walls, floor, ceiling, and nearby corridors with his earth technique.

Stanislav didn't think that the yokai wanted to kill him; he just didn't trust the engineering expertise of some ancient spirit.

A ceiling collapsing by mistake was not the death he was looking for.

Minoru also created a couple of spirit lights in his room. For them, Stas made special pedestals. When Ordyntsev was about to sleep, he just covered the lights with stone cups.

If he needed a night light, there were cups with small holes that allowed thin beams to shine through.

This lighting was more than sufficient, so Stas sat down on the sleeping mat he had brought along and spread on wooden planks and, surrounded by Kiatto scrolls, began to immerse himself in the mystery of magical techniques utterly alien to him.

Kaede, who tried to approach Stas, was immediately sent away. Ordyntsev was not about to waste time on idle talk.

And then Minoru dragged the young yokai away, coming up with another task for her.

After carefully studying the scrolls, Stas began to understand much better what exactly the art of Kiatto entailed.

To begin with, Ordyntsev correctly guessed the existence of a link between a Kiatto warmaster and their beast. However, interestingly enough, the connection was not only based on prana but also used spiritual energy.

Ironically, in some ways, the Kiatto were also users of forbidden magic, much like the Deathbringers. The difference was that their ether was so creatively altered that it was hard to relate it to the cursed clan.

Nevertheless, after three days of studying the scrolls, the link technique was angrily tossed aside.

The reason was that Stas and Leviathan had a much better bond than the Kiatto did.

If you were to compare, it was like a thin wire from the telegraph era and a complex multi-strand cable connecting whole regions.

Yet another confirmation of serious intervention by the Serpent King. What he had given them required meticulous work.

However, some use still came out of the discarded scrolls.

Following the instructions, Stas managed to feel and find this very connection within himself.

Under his inner vision, it looked like a multicolored overpass with microscopic lights darting back and forth. Moreover, many more lights were going from Stas to Leviathan.

Obviously, both Stas and Leviathan could not only talk to each other but also learn about each other's well-being and, probably, something else.

Nevertheless, the man did not yet dare to interfere in such a complex system.

Having observed his own connection with his pet, Stanislav moved on to the next scrolls.

And they turned out to be much more useful in terms of the influence of natural energy on the bodies of magical creatures.

Using the existing bond, the Kiatto transmitted specific commands to the beasts, affecting their bodies and ability to absorb natural energy.

The animals began vigorously taking in the surrounding natural energy, making them significantly stronger.

There were downsides to this approach, too.

In their regular state, magical creatures absorb only the amount of natural energy they need. The master, however, forces them to overcome their limits by swallowing a bigger piece than they can chew.

As a result, when the technique's effect ends, the reckoning comes. And the more they have absorbed, the greater the damage.

Although the Kiatto scrolls didn't say how to summon natural energy, as the beasts did it themselves, the beastmasters had knowledge of how to manage it through the existing link.

The Kiatto, using prana, directed natural energy into the muscles or skin of their pets, strengthening or speeding them up.

In a way, their beasts were particularly complex marionettes with which the Kiatto did whatever they wanted.

Nevertheless, these techniques had a positive side – passing a large amount of natural energy, though harmful, expanded the reserves of the pets in the long run, making them stronger.

The most exciting part of all this turned out to be the regeneration technique. The Kiatto, by concentrating natural energy in the body of the beast in a certain way, activated accelerated wound healing.

And it seemed that this was exactly what Stas was fervently looking for. However, the problem was that the technique required the snake's body to absorb a large amount of natural energy.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

And Leviathan was too weak for her system to activate this process independently.

This, in turn, meant that Ordyntsev would have to pour a certain amount of natural energy into Leviathan himself, then, connecting through their link, take control of her body with his own prana and finally activate the natural regeneration technique.

Needless to say, at the moment, each of the listed points was still inaccessible to Stas.

Ordyntsev knew neither how to summon and direct natural energy, nor how to use their connection, nor, of course, how to control the regeneration technique.

However, his mood was surprisingly high because, unlike himself two weeks ago, he knew where he now needed to move.

And he just happened to have ideas on where to get the missing information.

"Natural energy?" Minoru, lying on a huge stone bed, thoughtfully rested her head on her fist. "So you want to use it to help the little snake? An unusual plan, but rather foolish."

"Why?" Stas didn't like the yokai's overly mysterious manner of speech, but he had to bear with this drawback.

"Because natural energy is not created for humans," Minoru replied, looking at Stas as if he were a fool. "Yes, we and Kuchisagine conducted research on this issue. And we had some successes. But natural energy always broke free, bringing deadly mutations."

"So you know how to extract it from the environment," Ordyntsev concluded with satisfaction.

"Are you even listening to me?" Minoru frowned, removing her hand and sitting up straighter. "Even if you do everything perfectly and can take and pass natural energy to your snake, there will still be some of it left in you. It's like wanting to transfer honey with a pot; there will still be plenty of it on the walls. You won't notice it, but over time, it will surely kill you, and you won't be able to do anything."

Ordyntsev pondered deeply. Meanwhile, Minoru fell silent, satisfied that she was able to get through to the stubborn man.

"What if we use ether?" Stas looked up at the surprised yokai.

"What are you talking about?"

"What if we use ether to destroy natural energy? You know that ether and natural energy eliminate each other. So why not use the former to cleanse oneself of the latter?"

"Not a bad idea," Minoru nodded calmly. "We also came up with that. But there's a little problem."

Stas already understood that he wouldn't like the following words.

"To reliably destroy natural energy, you need to pump such an amount of ether into the body that it will simply turn into a vampire instantly. In other words, it's practically voluntary suicide. The natural energy will disappear, yes, but you won't like the result."

"But why apply so much force?" Stas asked doubtfully. "You yourself said there would be very little natural energy. Isn't it easier to find places where it is and remove it selectively?"

"And how will you do that?" Minoru's voice easily conveyed her mockery. "It's as difficult as feeling the existing ether in your body. You have to hit everything at once, and the human body can't take it."

Ordyntsev looked intently at the ancient yokai.

"What would you say if I told you that I can see ether?" Minoru froze and then looked at the earthling with different eyes.

"Repeat, you can see ether?"

"I wouldn't say exactly see," Stas began to explain. "But I can feel how much of it is in me and thus control its quantity."

"And when were you planning to tell me this?" The yokai's tone was strange. "Do you even realize that ether is dangerous because its owners couldn't really know how close they were to the point of no return? Oh, in the Serpent King's name, where did you even get this ability?"

"I have a very good sense of my own prana and prana channels," Ordyntsev answered honestly. "And when something foreign appears in them, I immediately feel it and can determine where it is."

Now, the behavior of the Nure-onna became a little clearer. Most likely, during their training, when she was still captive, the yokai thought that with his exercises, Stas had already dug his own grave.

How could she have known that Ordyntsev could well avoid the poisoning with ether to dangerous levels?

"And where does the ether usually concentrate?" Minoru asked with great interest, leaning forward. Stas knew that look. He had seen it too often in the mirror.

"Usually in the bones, but most of all in the skull," Stas saw no point in hiding this information. "Somehow, it seems to me, ether 'subconsciously,' if you can say that, is drawn to the mind of its carrier."

"Amazing," Minoru nodded several times. "Maybe that's the whole secret?" her thoughts were clearly far away. "All right," she slapped her stone bed decisively. "Maybe that'll let you feel natural energy as well. Only..." she hesitated, then sighed heavily.

"You do realize that if you start, there's no going back? Even if you absorb just a drop of natural energy, it will stick to you and start its destructive action. And to master its summoning and control, you'll have to take in much more than a drop. And if you can't see it... You won't last long. I would even say it's a one-way trip."

She smiled sadly, as if remembering something.

"That's why there are no people in this world who experiment with natural energy for a long time. All who go this way are dead men walking. Do you know who usually studies this magic? Cripples, old people, and the dying, because they have nothing to lose. Are you still sure you're ready?"

The serpentine gaze of the man met the identical eyes, but of the spirit.

"Of course."

"And why am I not surprised?" Minoru chuckled. "But I like your determination. Given your insane sensitivity, you might just succeed. But if I were you, I'd already be writing my will."

Stas said nothing, but his very eloquent look said a lot to his "advisor."

"Don't stare at me like that. There's truth in my words. I would even say too much of it."

"Shiro-kun!" From somewhere to the side, a frightened Kaede appeared, her pleading eyes fixed on the man's motionless face. Obviously, she had been eavesdropping and heard everything. "Maybe don't do it?! Sensei said how dangerous it is. You... You might die!"

"I know," Stas agreed dryly. "And it changes nothing." He demonstratively turned away from Kaede and looked at Minoru. "When do we start?"

"Insensitive blockhead..." Kaede pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't know whether I'm more impressed with your courage or sorry for your stupidity," the ancient spirit grimaced. "We'll start with theory and discuss what you'll have to perform as thoroughly as possible. The more accurately you do everything, the less chance you'll die on the spot."

Kaede continued to look at Stas with puppy eyes, but he wasn't concerned.

He would either master this magic and save Leviathan or die. There was no other choice.

Stas refused to consider a third option.

*****

"Tell me, why are you so fiercely rushing forward?" It was one of those rare moments when an exhausted Stas lay back, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had no strength for anything else.

His brain, pulsating with knowledge, concepts, and ideas, refused to sleep, so Ordyntsev could only blankly stare upwards, trying to finally shut down.

Mastering natural energy turned out to be such a complex matter that Stanislav cursed his previous self-assurance.

You could make a mistake at every step. Everywhere, the careless experimenter was awaited by insidious traps and problems.

It felt as if natural energy was not just not meant for humans; it was rather hostile to humanity.

If not for Minoru's advice and knowledge, Stas would never have been able to master this magic, at least without dying or turning into a vampire.

As a result, even though he planned to move on to the practical part in two weeks, he has been struggling with this issue for a whole month.

And even Ordyntsev's steel mind began to gradually give in under the excessive load.

"What?"

The visiting Minoru let out a heavy sigh but repeated her question anyway.

"I don't want to disappear," Stas finally formulated an answer.

"Are you afraid of death?" Minoru snorted mockingly. "Boring. I hoped to hear something more interesting from you."

"Not quite," Stas shook his head. "All my life, I've been striving for something. I studied and tried to become better than I was before. If I die, everything I've achieved will become meaningless. It will turn out that I was wasting my time and effort."

"You can have children," Minoru suggested. "That's how mortals solve this problem. They pass a part of themselves into the next generations, continuing to exist in their children."

"Excuses for fools and weaklings," Stas cut off mercilessly. "Having achieved nothing in this life, they justify their existence by being able to stick their appendage into a woman at the right moment. Yes, their lineage was able to live on. But they themselves are irretrievably dead, and the world will forget them very, very quickly."

"Well then, take apprentices," Minoru seemed to have been waiting for these words. "Choose suitable children and pass on to them everything you know and can do. These same children will add their knowledge, and the tree you planted will give new shoots. In this way, your achievements won't be lost, and the memory of you will be able to live on. In other words, you'll persist as part of humanity."

"Not a bad idea," Ordyntsev agreed, but his lips were touched by an ironic smile. "But all knowledge is impossible to pass on, no matter how hard you try. Even if I teach my students everything I know, in time, I will learn even more. To gather more students? And what kind of life would that be?"

"Besides," Stas chuckled. "Who said that it's even possible to find someone as intelligent and unique as I am? I'm sure finding a suitable apprentice will be almost impossible."

"You are such a... Shiro." After a long silence, Minoru squeezed out, replacing the last word with his name.

"That's why I dream of immortality," Stas suddenly continued, surprising the yokai. "In that case, everything I achieve will never be lost. I will not have lived in vain."

Minoru shrugged noncommittally, not commenting on the earthling's words.

"But you're asking what drives me. Yet, have you ever wondered what drives you?" Stas seriously looked at Minoru. "You can live incredibly long, if not forever, but I see that you're standing still. What's the meaning of your life?"

Minoru was about to speak but closed her mouth almost immediately. A forgotten bitterness arose in her soul.

Once, she had an answer to this question - before everything she and her comrades worked on went to dust.

How could she answer this question if she had no answer?

Stas did not insist.

Maybe he didn't care, or perhaps he felt the moment.

After half an hour, the man got up and returned to studying how "natural" prana forms.

The ancient yokai continued to sit, thinking about something of her own.

It had been a month and a half since the training started.