Xerxes felt a chill run down his spine as he saw Owen slash his way through all of the monsters spawning. With the power he was exuding, there was little in the gauntlet that could keep him from making it all the way to the final level and beyond.
Combat Resonance, it was a powerful tool most often understood in the later levels of a mortals life. The first exposure to it he would have had, would've been when he would view how to win fights from his keen eye skill. One of the reasons the opponents would always look roughly equal in strength, was the demonstrations were done using someone who had achieved combat resonance.
Still unlocking resonance this early was monstrous and frankly unheard of, but it would shake the foundations of those around him and make it much more likely everyone else would unlock resonance early as well. The ramifications of such a thing would lead to an interesting development on their rapidly changing world. Xerxes wasn't surprised when Owen was able to one hit the ninth round monster and was prepared for him to clear the rest of the way through the gauntlet, but he saw the boy stagger.
His whole demeanor seemed to droop for a moment and Xerxes stared in confusion before he realized the cause. Resonance was a taxing tool to use consistently, without a high enough mastery of the weapon you were using. It drew on an energy that was based partially on your understanding of combat and your weaponry. If he had tried to achieve resonance earlier on, with something like the scythe he had used, he might've made it through a single round of combat using his increased battle potential, before the abstract energy would fade, leaving him unconscious.
He raced forward a put an end to the training gauntlet temporarily as he pulled the boy out of the simulator. Briar had come to join earlier, no doubt feeling the increased amount of power and understanding coming from its master, but when it saw him catch Owen before he fell, it nodded and turned back to its own training further down the hill.
The sight of the familiar was still new to Xerxes and he still felt like it was a monster bound to attack at any moment, but it continued to surprise him time and time again. It was an interesting creature that derived its power from the source of consumption and devouring. Its intelligence had been partially achieved through it devour the corpses of as many intelligent monsters as it had. It wasn't an unusual path for monsters, but it was rare that they managed to stay sane.
Xerxes still didn't necessarily trust it however. He had promised to help free them from the binding contract, but Xerxes had yet to decided it is was worth it to actually free the creature. So, he planned to use the rest of the time they had to keep an eye on it to see if he could understand it well enough to know if it would instantly turn on Owen or not.
It didn't take him long to set Owen down inside the room he had been given. He slowly walked towards where he had that other boy training. He had a lot to teach that arrogant child, but if he had the same potential as Owen did, the resonance might be the difference of the child being an okay heir, to being a prominent heir.
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Myra grinned as the 25th and final monster of the training gauntlet fell down onto its knees and dispersed. Turning to Ivar, she stuck her tongue out and began to stretch out her sore body. She had started to feel something towards the end of the last fights, but she wasn't able to put a specific name to it. It to her felt like her axes had been singing to her, but as if they were trapped behind a thick curtain.
Despite the weird experience with her weapons she could only grin as she had finished the training gauntlet and now the only goal she had left was to get both her 1st grade soul and body tempers out of the way, before she hit level fifty. She had already began to feel some of the pressure in her body as she had gained levels at a rapid pace, but as soon as she had reached level 49, she was taken from combat and told to focus on others things while Ivar collected everything they would need for her 1st grade tempers.
She had fully dedicated herself to the training gauntlet after that. She wasn't sure how anyone else was supposed to defeat it without spending a similar mount of time training against the gauntlet specifically. Now thought, all she had left to do was wait for when he had the materials ready, and then she would be ready to get her tempers, though the thing she was most looking forward to was being able to get in contact with both Owen and Peggy.
Despite how awkward it made her feel, she more than anything wanted to get in contact with Owen. She hadn't liked the rushed way they had talked about their "relationship." Now that she was in a better state of mind, she wanted a redo of their conversation at best. It had felt far too rushed to her and she hadn't had the chance to speak to him about it, before they had been separated and unable to contact each other for almost a week now.
It ate at her a little bit, but thankfully it still hadn't been by so much that it distracted her from her training, but she was still looking forward to talk about it with him.
"Alright, it is time for us to start working on getting you those tempers." Ivar said, interrupting her train of thought. "You ready?" Ivar asked while grinning wildly. She shrugged and started following him, pushing all thoughts out of her mind.
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Owen felt surprisingly refreshed when he woke up, but then he remembered the last several seconds of the fight he had been in. He had been in the ninth round and had managed to kill most of the enemies, using some strange feeling that allowed him to basically cut through anything he wanted to.
He let himself take his time to clean himself up and change clothes, the whole time he just stared at the notifications he had gotten earlier.
*You have achieved combat resonance.
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Basic Weapon Mastery has been changed to Intermediate weapon mastery: Level 4
Synergistic Wielder of Chaos Spear Mastery has reached level 14*
He hadn't even heard of combat resonance before, but he was more than happy it was something that had happened while he was training in Xerxes's realm. He could ask all of the questions he needed to later, the first thing he wanted to do though was ask about his weapon mastery though. He had gained eight full levels in in his spear mastery based skill, without it feeling like he had actually put any effort into the attempt.
He quickly scanned through to see if he missed any notifications, before exiting his room and making his way back towards the courtyard. When he arrived he saw Lucas once again trying against the horned hound monster that shot its horns like missiles. Owen winced as he saw one pierce straight through Lucas's arm. Owen did a quick scan of the courtyard and saw Xerxes sitting in a chair at the far back, with tea already poured for two people.
He could tell that Xerxes used his telepathy or something of the sort, as once he looked over, one of the chairs pulled itself out from the table. "Nice party trick," Owen thought to himself as he moved closer and sat down once Xerxes gesture for him to. "I am sure you have a lot of questions." Xerxes said with a sly smile on his face as he took a sip of tea.
Owen shrugged and took a sip of his own tea. "I guess I have a couple questions," He said nonchalantly. Xerxes nodded sagely, "Once I finish my tea we can go somewhere to have it be a more private conversation?" Xerxes probed. Owen wasn't sure why Xerxes was trying to be discreet, but he had gone along with it at first but now he was confused. "Is this actually a conversation that needs privacy? I hadn't even heard of resonance before today."
Xerxes seemed to think about it for a long moment before speaking. "You don't trust my heir." He said plainly and Owen slowly nodded. "If you don't trust him, the best practice is to not give name to your abilities unless it is necessary. But I also think not trusting is a safe approach. I don't know much about the boy either, but he seemed a worthy candidate and I was running out of time."
That gave Owen a whole new set of questions, so he asked what he felt like the most important was. "How exactly had you wanted me to help him? It has been almost impossible to level up at a speed similar to that of other people. I also haven't really had the chance to learn any other Polymath skills, which I assume is what you wanted to pass on." Xerxes nodded and with a glance over to where Lucas was still grinding away against the horned hound, he waved his hand and a barrier appeared.
Or at least it looked like their was a barrier when Owen had his mana skill activated. He had to activate the skill to see the barrier, but from an outside perspective without the skill, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Xerxes turned back to Owen seriously. "I wanted you to train the boy in what you knew and nothing else. I had no desire to make him your pupil or whatever role he now serves in your life, but if it is inconvenient, don't let it bother you. While he is my heir, I don't know him, if he seems like someone you wouldn't want around, then it might be best if I look elsewhere."
"You trust my opinion that much? You don't really know me either, in fact we have barely spent more time together than you and he probably have." Owen said feeling like there was a pressure building on his shoulders. Xerxes nodded his agreement, but raised a finger before he continued. "The difference, you have both the Polymath's attention and her goodwill. You would have neither if you were someone I couldn't trust."
Owen felt troubled now. He hadn't ever especially liked Lucas, but there had never been any bad blood between them. Sure he had been weird a couple times, but he backed off as soon as they had had a conversation about it. Not quite sure what to say, Owen just told Xerxes the truth and described his experiences with Lucas from when they first met. It was an abridged version, but enough to try and convey the type of person he was. That sent Xerxes into several minutes of quite thought.
Owen watched Lucas's fight from a distance while he waited for Xerxes to speak. Lucas had managed to defeat the horned hound finally, but he could barely move his body enough to dodge the next monsters attacks. A small cough brought his attention back and Xerxes still seemed somewhat troubled. "I am not a fan of him bragging about possibly joining the zodiac in the future. I am not sure I am a fan of his personality, but the potential you think he has with the spear is important. Potential cannot be taught, but values can be taught." Shaking his head, Xerxes waved a hand as if trying to actively push the thoughts from his mind.
"Since I already have the barrier up, we should talk about resonance then, shouldn't we." Xerxes said as he pulled out a small dagger. Owen felt a rush of excitement, but forced himself to pay attention. He had already seen some of the power resonance had allowed him to display, if he could have more control, then he would be several times more powerful than he was now.
A thin sheet of energy Owen didn't recognize coated the small dagger in Xerxes hand and he passed it to Owen. As soon as the dagger left Xerxes hand, the energy disappeared, but Owen still recognized it. It was the same energy he had felt when he had been able to slice through shield and monster alike. Xerxes explained while Owen tried to recoat the blade in the energy.
"Resonance is tricky to define when it come down to combat resonance in particular. Intent can be wielded with a blade, but resonance is most closely when you wield your intent with your soul. Every time you swung your blade and cut down a monster in a single blow was the result of you honing the intent of your weapon with the intent of your soul. That is what combat resonance is. I will be honest, it is incredible you have been able to use combat resonance at all at your level, but I suppose it isn't entirely unusual as you already have a 1st grade temper and a yellow tiered core."
Owen was both amazed and slightly worried now, "If I use resonance more frequently will it get stronger or will I just continue to faint." Xerxes gave him a considering look before he spoke. "That is a slow way to train it, but it is technically possible. Though you are exhausting your soul every time you over use it. Your application of it was also not very spectacular though. But there is another positive to you achieve combat resonance. Your friends will have an easier time learning it the more you are around them and wield resonance." Owen was about to ask how, but Xerxes answered before he could ask.
"Merely by being around resonance and being around someone who can imbue their soul with intent, will subconsciously make it easier for them to recognize it in themselves and naturally begin to learn how to use it. And if you take a more active approach in helping them, they should be able to pick it up quickly. Though don't try to rush this, your friends do not have souls at the same tier as you have and a single attack used with resonance might knock them unconscious." Xerxes said seriously before his face brightened again.
Owen almost let himself get lost in his thoughts immediately when he remembered his masteries going up in level. "What about my weapon mastery. The first time I used this combat resonance, my mastery levels more than doubled." This time Xerxes opened his eyes wide in surprise. "Your masteries increased?" He seemed to lose himself in thought, before he seemed to realize why. "I suppose you unlock combat resonance while using a weapon. If you had been using essence, those probably would've gone up in level as well."
Xerxes seemed to think about something again, before he spoke. "Let us speak about this again later, I am going to do some research, but in the meantime focus on trying to consistently coat the blade with your intent, once you can do it within less than a second, we will move on to the next step. "