Normally I would have passed out at this point but the prompt from the orb popped back up.

Would you like to use the Perfect Advancement Orb Y/N?

I hit yes and screamed as the pain was immediate. I watched as the golden orb flowed into my body. When it was done a second smaller platinum orb followed and I screamed myself hoarse for the next two hours as my body felt like it was going to burn up. I started to try doing anything to lessen the pain. I finally settled on a combination of box breathing and mana circulation. It had been a good thing I had been eating the fruit as my mana channels were wider and cleaner than ever. While circulating it I was able to glean that the power circulating through me was from two different sources. The golden energy definitely had my friend’s signature. I could feel it suffusing my cells gently warming and expanding them. The platinum energy was the one causing all the pain. It was running roughshod through my system causing havoc. Even with its random nature and causing pain I could tell the platinum energy was the more powerful of the two currently in my system. Insight kicked in on overdrive if I let the power run through my system, I would end up stronger. But if I took control of it, I would end up exponentially stronger. At first, I tried a brute force approach of just mentally sizing the energy. I felt the energy slip through my metaphorical fingers. Next, I tried directing it by putting up mental bumpers and directing it around. This was more successful but the flow was still mostly random. I tried using my mana next as soon as the energy interacted with my mana it grew and diluted. I had more control but now it was more difficult. I had to add the bumpers into the mix to retain control. Insight kicked in again and I summoned Sky Cutter and started circulating my mana through it as well as sending a drop to Akurra.

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He instinctually knew what to do and I felt him curl up wherever he was. I could feel his skin start to cloud as he started a new shed. I circulated the energy until it ran its course and then passed out. I did not see or feel my friend walk away.