Five days went by as Jim trained in the Garden of Damien while inside his time dimension. He spent 50 days in the time chamber training with Jenkins which equated to 5 days in the game as the time flow was 10 days in the time ring dimension to 1 day in the game world.
Jenkins called Jim over after mastering the basics of blades of fractured paths and harmonic fractures. Jenkins decided it was time to discuss how to gather chaos mana. “Do you know why I called you over”
Jim didn’t think much of it and replied with a no. After a long pause, Jenkins sighed “You don’t have great compatibility with chaos mana. I have watched you train and guided you, but that is only from my understanding of chaos mana. It doesn’t suit you where you emphasize mana control as your strength where my strength is through relinquishing control. All is not lost though boy, just because you don’t have compatibility with chaos mana does not mean it is useless for you. Just as I have developed my techniques you have to develop your techniques with Chaos. I inscribe markings and symbols in the area to attract chaos mana, you will have to find your own way”
Jim took the night about what he was saying before receiving a request from the government. New York state regionals were going to be held at the end of the month and they requested Jim to participate. It looks like the state government was looking to build a team to represent New York. Participation was guaranteed to increase benefits including pay. There was no downside as it was only a one day event. Jim accepted the invitation starting in one week.
He entered the time ring dimension after accepting the invite.
“Old man Jenkins, where are you” as Jim looked for him
“Im right here, you don’t need to yell when someone’s taking a nap” Jenkins responded.
Jim excitedly shared his ideas “I have thought of a solution to chaos mana. What if I create my own chaos mana?”
Intrigued by Jim’s solution Jenkins told him to continue with his theory.
“Doesn’t the problem lie with the chaos mana your summoning through the inscriptions. You flow with the chaos mana because it isn’t inherently your mana. However, what if you isolate chaos mana to its smallest quantity and feed your own mana slowly. Eventually it will recognize your mana adapt to it. Wouldn’t this be a good solution for me?”
Jenkins thought about it and nothing he said was wrong. The only issue is the time it would take chaos to adapt to someone’s mana. It took Jenkins a decade just to learn the flow and match it. There’s no telling how long it would take to convert chaos mana.
“Kid, you know that this would take a very long time. I cant count how long this would take if its even possible”
Jim didn’t have any doubts, especially in the time dimension ring where time flows 10 to 1. Out of curiosity, Jenkins summoned a speck of chaos mana through inscriptions on the ground. A small speck of light no larger than a firefly was summoned.
The chaos mana flew in random directions, however, once it was within the range of the Yggdrasil, it looked like it was sucked in to the small plant. Instantly the tree grew a little larger almost reaching to Jim’s waist. Additionally, a new branch sprouted with a leaf. Both Jenkins and Jim inspected the leaf. There was a symbol of a spiral imprinted on the leaf. At the same time Jim noticed a spiral symbol appearing on both of his palms.
Jenkins and Jim were both dumbfounded. Neither one knew how to respond as this was a new sight.
Jenkins was the first to break the silence and asked Jim “Where did you get the tree and can I have one as well?” Both started chuckling at the funny joke. Jenkins congratulated Jim on the strange phenomenon. Jim wanted to test out the changes to his body and requested a spar with old man Jenkins. Both agreed to a friendly spar.
As they entered the dessert, Jenkins started by inscribing the ground to summon chaos mana. As soon as he finished drawing, he started attacking Jim in an unpredictable way. Jim was able to block most of the swings as he had sparred with chaos mana so he picked up the small fluctuations of chaos mana. Jenkins impressed at his adaptation was impressed and saddened that his techniques did not suit Jim. After a flurry of swings, Jim counterattacked with his own flurry of swings. He noticed that on his third swing, the force of his swing doubled, the fourth swing changed directions randomly. This pattern restarted after every fourth swing.
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Jenkins and Jim counted to make sure if this was a fluke or something permanent. Jim repeated 100 slashes and every slash had this characteristic. “Alright, kid,” Jenkins said, pacing slowly, his sword resting lazily on his shoulder. “Those spirals… they’ve done something to you. I don’t know what, and honestly, I don’t like not knowing. But one thing’s for sure: you’re not the same fighter you were a day ago.”
Jenkins stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. “That’s not just chaos mana anymore. That’s something new. Chaos doesn’t follow patterns like that, but whatever this spiral thing is, it’s blending chaos with your own mana—your control. A hybrid of sorts.”
Jim nodded. “Then I need to figure out how to use it properly. I can’t rely on random effects. If I can master this… it might be my path forward.”
Jenkins smirked, his playful demeanor returning. “Well, kid, you’ve got my attention. Let’s see if we can unravel this spiral of yours.”
The next several days in the time ring dimension were grueling. Jenkins pushed Jim to his limits, devising drills to help him understand and control the strange new effect. They sparred endlessly, Jenkins wielding chaos mana with his characteristic unpredictability, while Jim focused on integrating the spiral’s properties into his combat style.
“Focus on the rhythm!” Jenkins barked during one particularly intense session. “Your swings follow a sequence now—use that to your advantage!”
Jim gritted his teeth as he parried a flurry of strikes, his body moving instinctively. The spiral’s effects were growing more pronounced. The third swing felt like it carried the weight of a boulder, while the fourth moved almost faster than his thoughts, deflecting Jenkins’ blade at an impossible angle.
“It’s like a build-up,” Jim muttered, panting as he backed away to catch his breath. “Each swing leads into the next, like a momentum that peaks on the third and breaks free on the fourth.”
Jenkins grinned, leaning on his sword. “That’s the idea, kid. But you’re still too stiff. You’re treating it like a rigid sequence when it’s more like a flowing current. Loosen up!”
Jim frowned but nodded, stepping back into his stance. This time, he let himself relax, focusing not on each individual swing but on the rhythm of his movements. As he attacked, the spiral’s effects felt smoother, more integrated. The doubling force of the third strike flowed naturally into the chaotic unpredictability of the fourth, creating a sequence that felt almost… alive.
Jenkins blocked the fourth strike and laughed. “There you go! That’s the spirit!”
By the tenth day, Jim’s progress was undeniable. The spiral effects were no longer a surprise; they were tools he could wield with intent. Jenkins, however, wasn’t satisfied.
“You’ve got the basics down,” Jenkins said, tossing Jim a waterskin as they rested under the shade of a rocky outcrop. “But this isn’t just about swinging your sword harder or faster. That spiral of yours is tied to chaos and control—a balance that most people can’t even imagine, let alone achieve. If you’re going to use it, you need to go beyond the surface.”
Jim took a sip of water, wiping sweat from his brow. “What do you mean?”
Jenkins leaned forward, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “Chaos mana isn’t just about destruction or unpredictability. At its core, it’s about potential. It’s raw energy, waiting to be shaped. Your spiral—whatever it is—seems to tap into that potential, but you’re only scratching the surface. If you can learn to guide that potential, to shape it with your intent, you won’t just have a fancy attack sequence. You’ll have a weapon that can adapt to any situation.”
Jim’s eyes widened as the implications sank in. “You’re saying… I could use the spiral to create techniques of my own?”
Jenkins nodded. “Exactly. But don’t get cocky, kid. That kind of control takes more than skill—it takes vision. You need to know what you want the spiral to do, and you need to trust it to respond. That’s the hard part.”
Jim nodded slowly, determination burning in his eyes. “Then let’s keep going. I’m not stopping until I figure this out.”
The next phase of training was unlike anything Jim had experienced. Jenkins pushed him to think beyond the mechanics of his swings, encouraging him to experiment with the spiral’s effects. They trained in different environments—forest, desert, even near the small stream that ran through the garden—each setting presenting new challenges and opportunities.
One breakthrough came when Jim discovered he could channel the spiral’s effects into his footwork. During a sparring session, he found that the chaotic burst of the fourth strike could be redirected into a sudden, unpredictable movement, allowing him to evade Jenkins’ attacks and counter from unexpected angles.
“That’s it!” Jenkins shouted, his laughter echoing across the clearing. “You’re starting to get it, kid! Chaos isn’t just in your strikes—it’s in everything you do!”
Jim grinned, the thrill of discovery driving him forward. For the first time, he felt like he was truly connecting with chaos mana—not as something foreign, but as a part of himself.
As the 50th day in the time ring dimension drew to a close, Jim stood before Jenkins, his sword at the ready. The spiral symbols on his palms glowed faintly, their energy thrumming in harmony with his own.
“You’ve come a long way,” Jenkins said, his tone a mix of pride and respect. “You’re not just swinging a blade anymore. You’re creating something. That spiral of yours… it’s got potential. And so do you.”
Jim nodded, his expression resolute. “This is only the beginning. I still have a lot to learn, but with this… I think I’ve found my path.”
Jenkins chuckled, leaning on his sword. “Well, don’t get too comfortable, boy. The real world isn’t going to wait for you to figure things out. You’ve got a tournament coming up, don’t you?”
Jim smirked. “Yeah. And I’m ready for it.”
As he stepped out of the time ring dimension and back into the game world, Jim felt a newfound confidence. The spiral had awakened something within him—a power that was uniquely his. And as he prepared for the New York State Regionals, he knew one thing for certain:
The road ahead would be anything but predictable.