Patience Is An Advantage

"In the Spirit Rebirth Realm, one's Spirit Image can come out of one's body, and its effect is simply... wonderful. To breakthrough, you form your Soul, no longer a hunch or a heartfelt emotion, real and authentic. The Academy grants a few gifts to those who come up to that point. And it is rather generous. But even then, it is only a gift, and its importance is to encourage the students." Assistant Teacher Zi elaborated.

“Your Power Energy reaches a new limit, 1,000 km. And one can finally last time in space. The Elemental poisoning will still seep into your body, hurt you, and distract you if you were to fight in the middle of nowhere. But at the 10th stage, you can at least endure it for 100 minutes before you are forced to retreat to the nearest safe zone or spaceship possible.”

“50,000 years becomes the limit of your lifespan, but it is, and as I have said nonstop for the past few minutes. More than enough for an ordinary individual to reach the Second Step. But that is a talk only Students will receive, at least for free.” Assistant Teacher Zi said before continuing, “As one’s Spirit image can come out now, it empowers everything we can offer. From our own Power Energy, body, skills, and even the good for nothing pseudo-Arts.”

“Weapons and armors, tools and array formations. They can all be enhanced with just one’s thoughts. Your Spirit Image doesn’t only empower the durability or strength that a strike of your body, armor, or weapon can make. It also increases whichever effect it or you might possess. One with Elemental affinity can easily overwhelm those in the same stage at the Spirit Rebirth realm because of one’s Spirit Image. And fight those above 1 or even 2 stages!”

Assistant Teacher Zi’s words brought what Heian Ciemnosc qualified as a good encouragement of words, hope and desire in student’s hearts. Even if they were lazy and depressive for whatever motive, they could only look up now and think of all the things the Assistant Teacher had said.

“Does anyone have any questions?” The Assistant Teacher asked, looking at the students, who had nothing to say. After a slightly long minute, he turned around and erased the illustration of a child with a sun-like image behind him. Granting everything around him a glow impossible to confuse with anything else the holograms showed before.

“Fire, Water, Earth, Wind.” The Assistant Teacher began elaborating, catching everyone’s attention ever so slightly. With some traces of his left index finger, slowly but surely, several icons were drawn. One was a wave of flames. It came to life as though it didn’t sway in the wind. Sparkles and melting heat disruptions in the air could be noticed.

Another was the simple falling of water, first as a cascade that would then fell onto the non-drawn land as rain. The water wasn’t turbulent, but it was unstoppable. And as it fell endlessly, seemingly a cycle, it splattered the hologram with a ‘wet’ and humid feeling.

The following drawing consisted of the land, simple and vast, boundless land that stretched over countless kilometers. In fact, it couldn’t even be called kilometers anymore. Only Kingdoms could be used to describe the length of this land. It was simple yet striking and impacting all the same as the previous 2 illustrations.

Lastly, there was the simple passing of a gigantic cloud of… air. It had no connection, nowhere to remain, or a rule to follow. It was slow or fast. It could be enormous or just big. But as it could move anywhere. As it could reach everywhere… it also saw everything. Nothing escaped its eyes, its mind, and its power. It is present even in space, which even Gods and Goddesses fear to be touched by it. It wasn’t ever-present, omniscient, but it was always there.

“Elements are the purest incarnations of balance.” Assistant Teacher Zi opened his speech like this. “They are indispensable, indestructible, and, even in the worst history records of all Changes. Indestructible.”

“They are in all of us, and it is with a simple flick that we can convene any of them after breaking into the Spirit Birth realm. They would be nothing other than tricks and some extra effect to any e possible skills, but anyone can touch, be touched, and understand Elements if they want to study them. From there, it is not unheard of at all of excellent people in history records becoming Elemental masters that even brought knowledge and inspiration to some cultivator with special bodies.”

“But Elements are ever present, like pure energy. And there have been extremely strange, rare, and… unique events in which they showed some sort of life. As if… they were trying to contact the world.” The Assistant Teacher’s words left the students unexpectedly speechless. Their skin numbed, and their eyes widened. They could only think of the possibilities. But the Assistant Teacher didn’t elaborate further on just that subject.

“They are indestructible, as I said. They are powerful, omnipotent even. But they are also in need of nature’s balance!” Assistant Teacher Zi exclaimed heavily, with emphasis, and sternly eyeing the students. “Elemental disasters are not just a bland name. They are one every organization and Kingdom fears. Even Divine Kingdoms.”

“Fire,” the drawing of the wave of flames elongated. The others went away but didn’t dissipate. “It has shown its potential, melting from civilians to entire Regions. There are worse cases, if you were wondering. It has indeed happened before… Whole Kingdoms melted away in one day of a Fire Elemental disaster.”

A simple village appeared next. It was all an ordinary daily life day for all its villagers, and it was still too early in the morning. Yet, heat began to show everywhere. From the trees, tiny sparkles threatened to create a fire. Water evaporated to the naked eye, even if slowly, from the buckets of animals’ drinking spots or those that villagers carried around. Entire spots of dirt and sand became mud, slowly decaying underground instead of solidifying or firing up.

People began melting as their faces looked up, and the sky was still dark, like the night. But even as nothing appeared other than the stars, their skin began to fall off as layers the size of their hands onto the ground, melting and letting their feet become one as liquid. In terror, mothers and fathers rushed back to their homes, terrorized evermore as they witnessed their children, the weakest and smallest among them, already burning into the ground and a small hole drilled through their beds.

Everything was in flames next. The entire village became coated with tongues of flames, slowly rising and unmoving. People couldn’t do anything other than run or lean over a melting wall, only to melt quickly and helplessly. Like an attack sound, it mercilessly went on until… the entire Kingdom was burning. The flames of tongues were finally moving as the image zoomed out to reveal the universe, and the other Kingdoms nearby were just out the Fire Elemental disaster’s scope.

Tongues of flames the size of small moons danced rapidly, back and forth, flamboyantly showing their extreme joy or tragedy. The Kingdom wasn’t engulfed in flames, but the Fire Elemental disaster could finally be seen. A massive cluster of pure red with sparkling and blazing bolts similar to lightning bolts streaked within the fire cluster larger than the entire Galaxy. It was so large it made these Kingdoms look like pearls in one’s hands.

But there was a change. The Kingdoms who, now alerted and having prepared, unlike the Kingdom which faced this brutal fate helplessly. Began moving their powerhouses and even their Kingdoms themselves. Together, and with a very desperate hope, wonderful seas and mountains of pure energy swarmed from the Kingdom’s center towards the fire cluster.

As their rays of pure energy crashed with one another on their way to the fire cluster, they energetically ‘wrestled’ until they merged. When they reached the fire cluster, all Kingdoms’ rays of pure energy became a sole beam. It shot slowly but unstoppably towards the fire cluster, collided, and penetrated right through. Yet, as the fire cluster was seemingly divided, the beam of pure energy no longer penetrated through and instead drew back.

On the other hand, the fire cluster kept on slowly moving towards the rest of the Galaxy. Yet, the returning beam of pure energy streaked through the Galaxy back. Seemingly ‘touching’ the Kingdoms’ spatial territory before bouncing right off to meet the next Kingdom. Way before the fire cluster could start melting down another Kingdom, the entire Galaxy had… joined as one.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The fire cluster had no more effect on the Kingdoms, while the beam of pure energy was wholly joined with every Kingdom and didn’t have an end. It was as if they had always been this connected. The Kingdoms, except for the tragic, gone Kingdom, were strong and defended against the fire cluster. The latter was defeated in the end, slowly crumbling, and halted before reaching another Kingdom. And its ‘death’ was pitifully beautiful and tragic.

“Records they… serve not only as the foundation of imagination, mistakes, and learning.” Assistant Teacher Zi commented with a slightly sad tone. His face wasn’t seen as he kept looking at the quickly dissipating, uninhibited images. “It is also always a warning. When something bad happens, something worse will follow.”

“All Elemental disasters are possible to be dealt with. There are small and big ones, and there are fatal and harmful. But there is a root for everything, and that is… balance.” Assistant Teacher Zi changed the subject. Everyone became drawn to the abrupt change of the atmosphere but welcomed it and listened attentively.

The hologram next revealed 2 strong, muscular people. One male, burly and tall, quite bulky with that volume of muscles. He wore nothing but a long loincloth, and his eyes radiated pure light, had no irises or pupils, and were rectangular. The other was a female. Also muscular but more fit than burly. She had long hair to the sides of her shoulders and was tall and slender with the same kind of glowing eyes. Only. Hers were more elliptic-shaped. And wore a loincloth and small pieces of cloth covering her bosom.

“When Gods and Goddesses fight each other, they create disturbances. But they are mild, and nothing the universe or any Kingdom can’t take.” Assistant Teacher Zi looked at the students, “But when there are too many of these, they become a problem.”

The man and woman on the hologram started fighting as every strike and attack, move and lethal attempts on the other was magnificent. The entire hologram trembled, and their prowess could be felt even by the non-cultivators.

More and more appeared, filling the entire hologram. It wasn’t until Gods and Goddesses slowly disappeared that Assistant Teacher Zi resumed his exposition. “There are rumors, from what is known. That the legendary Sinvonnia Kingdom’s demise came to be due to its peaceful nature. As the one who started the term Peaceful Kingdom, it also was the one to end it.”

“When there are too many powerful encounters around a specific area for far too long and shocking. Nature starts seeking peace, a balance that Her perpetrators had disrupted without a care. It is unavoidable, as it destroys everything without the intention to. Yet, the discharge of tumultuous aura, pure energy, and Elemental poisoning is most needed. Just as we refine pure energy in our bodies, imagine if that pure energy became a malignant tumor growing within you instead. You would have to sacrifice part, or parts, of your cultivation to fix it.”

“That is how the rumored demise of the legendary Sinvonnia Kingdom is believed to have been met.” Assistant Teacher Zi showed a gigantic Kingdom, more extensive than any other he drew. “You see, the Sinvonnia Kingdom was so peaceful and protected, the entire world only fought around it and the other Peaceful Kingdom that wanted to follow her steps. Many Archeons went by… surviving many cycles of Changes, and time was gone, so she was untouchable.”

“No one knows when, how, or… what.” The Assistant Teacher had a reminiscent expression and tone in his voice. But it suddenly imploded, and all life… was reduced to less than 1%. It was gone just like that. Nature could take no more. It has been since that time that we’ve become aware there is something wrong in this world… But that is only a theory. Delving into it would be hearsay.”

“Well, now that I’ve forgotten some things, let me get through them quickly before I teach you the methods to counteract Elemental disruptions, and even disasters. Don’t worry. We still have half the entire night.” Assistant Teacher Zi once again changed the subject abruptly, “At the Spirit Rebirth realm, one is technically capable of employing actual Arts at last. It’s just that…”

“...” As the Assistant Teacher continued to teach, Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes, as always darkest, radiated some pensive bright within them. Elena finally parted her eyes from the hologram and the teacher as she set their brown in Heian Ciemnosc’s right profile face. “What are you revolving inside your head?”

“Oh, nothing. Just thought of home. Can we talk while the teachers… teach?” Heian Ciemnosc smoothly eased his expression and turned to look at the blondie. Asking her with a low voice, Elena grinned and nodded at her but still gestured for him to keep it at a low volume. During the rest of the class, until night, Heian Ciemnosc and Elena talked a bit with each other. Although it was mainly with the pale teenager asking the blonde teenager what she does as a Student.

… When class finally ended. And the beautiful, well-welcomed, serene night descended onto the Wrath nihility Academy. Heian Ciemnosc walked out with some notebooks, given to the students by the Assistant Teacher in a rather magical move, turning each of his books’ pages into sets of notebooks for the students. He was hugging them to his chest, and Elena looked at him teasingly but also reminisced about her first day as a student within the Academy. Even though she was some big shot’s disciple, she started as a Student and was treated like anyone else.

“Adore them much? You will need new ones preeeeetty fast. You will be wasting all your money before you know it, and you will be helpless. All teachers are to review their students’ knowledge with their notebooks. All the answers they need are inside those things. Assistant Teacher Zi just got you into the good stuff, and you’ll grow addicted to it pretty soon. You’ll see~.” Heian Ciemnosc smirked at Elena’s introduction of drugs.

“Oh, by the way. Can you bring me to buy a Covert Space bag? I reckon I’ll have many of these after you said so. Will you accompany me, or will you run?” Heian Ciemnosc asked her after thinking of something. In response, Elena stuck her tongue out at him, a brave and defiant move by a teenage blondie, before shaking her head and bending her hand to her wrist level before also shaking it left and right.

“Even if you were paid ten times what a Sub Student is allowed to be paid, you would only get to rent an Inferior Covert Space bag for a month or 2 if you’re willing to go 60% on the clerk selling it.” Elena looked slightly attractive, closing her eyelids and acting like a tall, big sis who was teaching her lil bruh a thing or two about life. “But don’t worry, in your individual dormitory, there is a special crate for you under your bed. It can only be opened when it’s you, so don’t worry. It won’t open if someone uses your corpse or blood or have your sperm within their bodies, too.”

“Err… eh?” Heian Ciemnosc was taken aback by Elena’s last few mentions right after the helpful information - but still glad with her priorities when explaining. And when he processed it all, he nodded in thanks before asking, fully curious. “How do you know all these?”

“Oh? Oh!” Elena’s eyes opened. Her eyes went to the right, and looked at his face. “I told you, I’m 40%! Ahem, I’ve tried them all before. Though I get no resources from Master, nor any special treatment from anyone other than when Master spoils me, I do get away with some… things, hehe.”

“Oh, then. How does it work to bring someone else into an individual dormitory? As a Student or Sub Student?” After chatting with her for hours during class, Heian Ciemnosc had the vital and most significant information that Students also live in groups, smaller but still. “You know, the fucking.”

“Eww…” With Heian Ciemnosc’s crude words, Elena cringed for a bit before dropping her antics, her face pensive and troll as she brought her index finger up to her lower lip and played with it. Her eyes cornering to the top right, she elaborated. “Well, here was once upon a time my club’s skank wanted to please one guy especially. His birthday was coming, and she wanted to know his likes, what kind of whores he faps to, and stuff.”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc remained silent, a poker and helpless face plastered at the front of his head as he let Elena continue. “He had him spunk her deep inside a few dozen times before letting his dry half-alive body go, then, according to legends, went into his room and tried to open his crate, thinking her hungry crotch was the key to everything!”

“It didn’t work…” Elena pouted with blinking eyes before suddenly remembering. “Now that I think about it. She wanted to impress him ‘cuz he was always gentle and slow with her, not as rough or excited, and passionate, as most other guys. And that guy is now one of the club’s… notorious skanks. He was actually homosexual and was just trying to keep his cover for some more time. However, thanks to her efforts and heart, he became bisexual in the end. Now, he is both some men's and women’s plaything like her. I think they once talked about marriage?”

“... 60%, eh?” Heian Ciemnosc kept silent after Elena finished storytelling. Elena nodded and pressed her lips together, then suddenly looked at him with her hair smoothly flying through the air and above her shoulders. Without any ceremonial acts, she bluntly spoke, “Heian Ciemnosc, if I ever need to find a sexual partner for experience or childbearing needs. Promise me you’ll find someone who doesn’t try to turn me bi or into a skank.”

“... Oh,” Heian Ciemnosc blinked at her and then nodded. Her frank attitude left him feeling slightly warm inside, above in his heart, and not below. But even then, he already thought which person could be fit for such a job. Who else but Heian Ciemnosc from the future to do so? He would be already bathed by the bodies of Alyona and Hong Mei by then, paid back his debt, and gave a lonely, slutty pilot in training a good greeting. How could he not help a person he was already growing close with? Though he couldn’t give her a child if needed, he could grant her experience…

‘Mn! I’ll get as much experience with my Queens, Grietta’s body, and those sweet harlots I met! It’s the least I can do for a female buddy.’

…