Reading further through the book, he found an intriguing piece of text.
If one may only access their basic mastery of their element, whether because they practice a rare sub element, or because their element is too dangerous to bask in, they may make greater progress by modifying their breathing to the nature of their element. This process is different for every cultivator, but there are similarities across the board. Fire cultivators generally find that quick, sharp bursts of breath help them the most. Meanwhile, Water cultivators maintain a continuous stream of air, cycling it smoothly. I would recommend finding a manual tailored to your element for more instruction.
If this was true, it was quite obvious what Jonathan needed to do. He would have to hold his breath for the entire time. As the Void represented nothingness, then so should his breaths.
He put the book back and scanned the rest of the tower in the hopes that he could find a Void manual. However, there was no such thing, and he simply left, eager to test out his theory.
Jonathan soon found himself sitting cross legged in an alleyway, his elemental core visualized within his mind. As he started to visualize the element, he cut off his breathing. His high level meant that breathing was not especially urgent. Immediately, he felt his element sharpen within his mind, and insights began to percolate through his mind. As if drawn in by his lack of breath, Void energy was sucked in towards his elemental core, causing it to swell with power. Like a dam had been broken, he could suddenly feel a torrent of knowledge entering his mind, spurred by his achievements with the Void. Previously, he had treated elemental mastery like a simple Pathway skill, which he could further by use. However, using his element to fight barely helped. Instead, he had to conceptualize his growth to actually grow.
As he did so, he could feel his elemental mastery swelling, drawing upon his new Void related skills. About half an hour later, he managed to break through to the next level, and he opened his eyes. It was still slower than it would have been with the aid of the actual Void, but it was far more effective than anything he had done before.
He got to his feet and left the alleyway, stepping out into the bustling walled city. He had no real reason to be here, and the marshes outside were simply too low leveled to be an effective hunting ground for him. Instead, he pulled out his token. It was time to see what the second realm of Tartarus had to offer. Without waiting, he used the token, teleporting to the realm of lava and stone that he had come to know.
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What struck him first was the heat. It was easily over a thousand degrees, and far hotter than the first realm had been. Mountains rose into the sky, and if there was a ceiling to the realm, it was too far away for him to see. Even his advanced perception could not pierce the distance, and as far as he could tell, the realm went on forever. There was no message this time, as he already knew the drill.
Jonathan climbed up onto a volcanic bluff, and gazed out into the horizon. About a hundred miles away, a large city squatted on the black rock, rising hundreds of feet into the air. The land was far less untamed than in the first circle of Tartarus, and what looked like a highway system stretched between cities and small towns. Further afield, large armies clashed between cities, showing that the world here was not entirely homogenous.
Jonathan sped down the hill, using it as a ramp to shoot him forwards. He crossed miles in a minute, blitzing past the landmarks. If he was correct in his assumption, all of the monsters here would be at the higher end of Tier 3, which explained why there were few in sight. Monsters that powerful would not suffer the invasions of another into their space.
Soon he was racing through a strange series of tears in the ground, hopping over slot canyons and chasms that extended into the earth. The shape of the canyons made it seem like something had created them. He could sense the aura of monsters within the canyons, but they were at the weakest end of what this realm had to offer, and he paid them no mind.
A few minutes later, one of those monsters made an appearance, leaping out of a canyon in front of him. It was a large, scaly humanoid that looked like a cross between a lizard and a bodybuilder. It had four arms instead of two, and each of them was tipped in razor sharp claws. Jonathan quickly fired off an analysis, although he could already sense its strength well enough.
Wyrmkin Brute
Level 253
Health: 25145/25145
Status: Healthy
It was a member of a species previously unknown to Jonathan, but he could see where the name came from. It was high level, but not too strong for him, with all of his bonuses and multipliers. He smiled, bringing the Void to his hands, and charged. The monster roared, and bounded forwards on all six of its limbs, leaping at the end of its charge. Jonathan watched as the creature soared overhead, and he ducked, before slamming his Void enhanced fist into its stomach.
The monster paused midair as it struggled against the momentum of his fist, and was then shot backwards with a detonation of purple fire, its scales cracking. To Jonathan’s surprise, it landed on its feet, hissing loudly. It was a bit more durable than he had expected. Its health may have been relatively low, but its Resilience was considerably high.