Chapter 76

Lykan

Differences

  From the different tasks and challenges that Lykan was set to perform, Lykan realized a few things. The first was that the act of Qi was almost the exact opposite of Mana. Mana began from inside the body and flowed out. Qi on the other hand was all around him and had to be pulled into the body. Then once Qi entered the body it could do hundreds of processes.

  Lykan also found out that Qi and Mana also used the same meridians and flow paths to circulate within the body. This was both good and bad. It was good in the fact that Lykan didn’t have to relearn or understand new parts of his body that were vastly complex. This was bad in the fact that he couldn’t use both Mana and Qi at the same time. The best comparison for this would be to mix acids and bases. While independently acids could exist and commingle at different levels to different extents, they could never interact with bases. Bases too could never interact with acids for much the same reason.

  The way Lykan found out about this was when he experienced the merger of his Qi with a few lingering particles of Mana that were in his system. The result caused him to collapse to the floor in pain. This was annoying on multiple levels, first even with his cursed blessing from the gods it still burned. Secondly his counter for steps taken while breathing in Qi had been reset, forcing him to start over.

  The starting over was fine, as Lykan felt that he learned a little more about not only himself but the world around him each time he drew in Qi.

  He still didn’t quite understand what Qi was, but he felt closer with each breath. There was a familiar power to Qi that made Lykan feel almost at peace with himself. While he still felt the loss of being able to use mana, he felt somewhat relieved at his ability to use Qi.

  His recent revelations about the incompatibility between Qi and Mana did bring up more questions though. The first question was about the nature of the corruption of the pillars. How were people who interacted with the pillars able to seemingly use Qi and Mana, even if they were corrupted the combination was devastating. Just thinking about this line of questioning made Lykan grab for his chest as he remembered the final strike Nayali had given him in their duel. He remembered the intense burning sensation that flowed throughout his body.

  Looking back on that time now it was clear that she had managed to fire pure Qi directly into his body, which explained the burning sensation. But the only question was, how was she able to keep the Qi inside her without it causing any damage as well?

  His hypothesis was that it had something to do with the solid nature of corruption. It was densely packed and reminded Lykan more of tar than the gaseous nature that both Qi and Mana seem to exhibit. With these thoughts and more he realized he had been pulling particles of Qi from her body every night, almost instinctively.

  Then he thought back to his soul sword and how it shattered when it contacted the Qi he managed to pull from the corrupted psychic dragon. Looking back on the process now it almost seemed obvious why his sword shattered and nearly killed him in the process. His soul was infused with Mana at that point, meaning his soul sword was an extension of that power and command over Mana.

  When he had pulled at the ball of energy that was within the beast, he thought he was pulling forth Mana, but it wasn’t just Mana it was Mana and Qi that had somehow been interwoven. When he struck with his sword, he split the bonds that were binding the Mana and Qi, thus releasing the two opposing forces of energy. There was an explosion first from the two opposing elements merging and reacting violently with each other. Then parts of the loose key interacted with the Mana in his soul sword and detonated. Thinking back on it, Lykan realized something. While he was angry at the time that he lost his sword, he was realized now that he was just lucky to have survived at all. By all rights he should have been destroyed in that blast, were it not for his sword taking the brunt of the impact… I would have died.

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  A thousand breaths.

  Such a trivial concept, but one that seemed to bring both clarity of thought and action to Lykan’s shell shocked mind. He thought back to earlier when Nayali offered him the soul seed, how his hand trembled at the thought. He realized that if he had taken the soul seed again that this sword would likely suffer the same fate as the last one. This sword of course would be infused with Qi, which if he was to go to battle with the tentacled Titan before him that would not be a problem as the Titans clearly used Qi as well. The problem of course would come if he ever tried to integrate back into society if he ever had to confront a Mana user. Once attack, or one imprecise strike where Qi and Mana met, and he would be back to where he was currently.

  So many thoughts flowed through his mind that he missed the moment he passed the one thousand steps. His instructor seemed to nod in approval, but as for Lykan he was lost in deep contemplation as he walked constantly in a never-ending circle around the large training area.

  Everything was going fine until somewhere around his two thousandth step when a deep burning sensation began to form in his stomach. The pain was so intense that he felt like a small fire had started to form just next to his heart. He dropped to the ground hands clutching his chest.

  He looked to the Titan, only to see the deep-black Titan nod approvingly, as if he had expected this.

  You bastard! Lykan thought to himself. He would have said the words had his lungs and body not been burning with the accumulation of too much energy.

  He breathed in, only to find more burning sensations going down his throat. With horror he realized he was still breathing in Qi. Qi also seemed to be the cause for so much pain that he was feeling right now.

  He breathed in, trying not to take in Qi but he couldn’t. Breathing in the Qi around him felt like second nature at this point. It was harder to remember how not to breathe in Qi, than it was to breath it in.

  He gasped and wheezed for air, anything that would help ease the burning sensations that were tearing him apart from the inside.

  The fire inside his stomach grew, until finally Lykan felt something shatter within his own body. Then he felt the raging torrents of energy that had been flowing around his meridians solidify into one point and condense.

  Thud.

  Lykan crashed to the ground. It took him a second to realize what had happened. He had been so wrapped up in the pain and agony that was flowing through his body that he failed to realize what was happening around him. No, not what was happening around him, what he himself had been doing. He had been flying? Hadn’t he?

  He had to have. He looked at the ground and how he was sprawled out in a way that couldn’t be possible from a normal fall from a standing position. No, this was something different.

  Just when his thoughts were going to run wild, he received a message from the gods.

  Blessing Bestowed: Base Core.

  Base Core. You have managed to create a core to store foreign energy within your body. The energy stored here is permanently in use to improve your body. This core can be improved upon to receive greater results. Results: +1 Strength, +1 Mobility.

  Seeing the notification caused Lykan to blink in surprise. What was a core? How did it improve his strength and Mobility? Also, how can I improve upon it?

  So many thoughts flowed through Lykan’s mind as he lay panting on the floor. He thought about just lying there for a moment when a new message appeared in his mind.

  You have an empty core. You must replenish your core before we can continue training. Scenario reset to basic module one, structured breathing.

  Assume the meditation pose.

  Seeing the message Lykan inwardly groaned. But quickly moved once he saw the glowing red eyes of his instructor light up the room. He remembered what his instructor did to a few morsels of food and did not want to know what would happen to him should the same occur.

  Within a few seconds Lykan managed to resume the meditation pose and once again took to breathing in Qi particles from the air. Something about this process told him that he was going to be here for a long time. Though he had to say he did feel a little stronger from these exercises.