The following morning Maik woke to the sounds of shuffling feet that nearly stepped on them. Everyone was crowded together with the live stock in the barns to protect against monster insect attacks. Thanks to the use of hammocks 16 people were able to sleep in a single stall. However with the hammocks being stacked 3 high the guy on the top had to be on the tall side.

Maik had slept on the floor though, all the hammocks already having been taken. Now that the lilin was up though it was time for the morning routine and there were more than a few people observing Maik expectantly.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that ?"

One teen, probably 13 or 14 spoke up when no one else seemed to want to answer. "... Well. I want to know what the Chi instructor does. You know, so I can be more like you."

Maik nodded and smirked. "Alright then." And proceeded to narrate as the lilin went thought all the morning exercises they used to before magic was a thing. Hydration, followed by breathing technique combined with an early session of cultivation to get the Chi flowing. Next came stretching, followed by a mild work out.

All of that took about 45 minutes. Now after the work out Maik used to need to follow up with an intense cultivation session to try and store the minute amounts of Chi they used to be able to accumulate and for an instant the lilin glanced at the full and massive pool of 4,540 calories of Chi available to them.

Do we really need to work so hard on storing Chi any more ? It would seem a little unnecessary given how the pool refills its self now. LAZY ! Have you forgotten about yesterday ? We need to maintain our advantage. And we need to look cool in front of everybody. First we do a work out with Chi skills and then cultivate.

So next Maik moved on to practicing with various Chi skills. Extending their aura while activating various auric effects. The really interesting realization came when Maik was practicing with Chi Force projection to punch the brick wall. Maik felt back pressure. Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking ? There is a disturbingly high probab... Do it ! Fucking DO IT !

Before Analytical could stop them, Maik squatted down and imbued the Durability, Strength and intelligence stats. Once all those stats were buffed they used the Chi Force projection skill in both legs to project force at the same time as the lilin jumped with all their might.

Amazing. HOLLY SHIT ! Were Are Super Human ! ROOF ! The immense feeling of elation passed just as quickly as it had come when Maik collided with a rafter of the big barn, head first. The 14 foot fall to the floor was just insult on top of injury but the elation was back when Maik realized they weren't all that injured.

The teen asked if Maik was okay and the lilin groaned. "Ouuooooch.... Yeah... " they coughed a couple times and started getting up, frankly amazed that they weren't more injured. Then again with the stat empowered their effective durability was just over 400. well over 4 times what it had been before magic was a thing. Minor regeneration was also making quick work of any damage and easing any pain.

There was also a notification.

Tier 6 skill acquired - Chi Force jump - Beginner

A compound application of the Chi force projection, this skill cost just as much Chi as 2 casting of Chi force projection but has the advantage that it only requires the mental focus of a single casting.

How strait forward. It clearly denotes the advantages while not trying to hide the blatant copy and past aspects of the skill. I mean, Ill take it but it feels like a cheap win. Bitch some more about the upgrade why don't you.

Maik was about to resume practicing when Duke called out "Come to watch the show David ?"

The squad leader was looked on with an interesting mix of pissed and curiosity. "Did I just see you face plant into the roof Daley ?"

The Chi instructor was just too giddy about the recent achievement. "No sir. The rafter got it the way and I never actually made it to the roof."

Duke bust out with laughter while David worked his jaw for a moment. Finally the squad leader found his voice again to ask. "And why.... Is it that a rafter need to stop you from reaching the roof exactly ?"

The silly grin on the Chi instructors face wasn't helping their case but they didn't care. "I uhh, developed a new Chi skill. One that helps me jump better. Sir... And uhh, well of course I had to test it. You know... Because I can't be sharing defective skills. They need to be tested. Thoroughly."

David stopped the Chi instructor with a horizontal hand chop. "Enough. I'm officially putting an I.D.I.O.T. warring label on that skill and hence forth it is not to be Tested without adequate safety equipment involved. Now are you alright ?" Maik shrugged and nodded so the squad leader looked to his second in command. "Duke. If your done busting a gut..." He was not. "See to supervising the Chi instructors experiments in a way to insures troop safety more than troop entertainment will you ?"

Duke took another minute to get himself back under control. "Hehh haha... Ehem. Sure thing boss man." David glared at him until the man corrected himself. "I mean uhh. Yes sir." The squad leader nodded before walking off.

More thoughtful experimentation followed involving ropes, pulleys and a body harness. This wasn't only for Maik's benefit as the Chi instructor spent the whole time explaining what they were doing, how they had come by the insights and the order in which they had invented these Chi skills.

With Maik's friends there to answer one on one question to the best of their knowledge the morning quickly became an impromptu training course in Chi skills. Meditation techniques were practiced along with the foundational skills Maik and the others had uploaded to the group the previous evening.

Not that Maik didn't make some progress for them self thanks to all the practice.

Tier 6 skill Advanced - Chi Force jump - Capable.

Maik had been hoping for Chi force projection to advance again as well but it would seem that the higher the tier of the skill the harder is was to advance a skill. But that didn't mean the lilin was done advancing. Maik still had yet to fully explore the length of their old cultivation technique from before magic was a thing and they decided to take the next step while cultivating after the Chi skill workout and training session.

The Chi instructor had been putting this off as much out of fear as out of time constraints. The last addition actually started hurting and there was the pervasive suspicion that this advancement would be even worse. The Chi instructor first drew energy into their crown Chakra from the heavens and into their base Chakra from the earth, both with a swirling cone pattern.

However, Make made a new discovery. This was the first time the lilin had been focused on how they absorbed the energy sense their magic sense skill had leveled and the skill allowed Maik to see all the impurities they had been absorbing. It was like drinking water. You didn't want to drink distilled water because it didn't have any electrolytes but you also didn't want bacteria and filth.

Maik was horrified with the realization that they had just been sucking up whatever was around at the time without filtering anything. Disgusting. This meant that rather than moving onto a previously practiced step the Chi instructor found them self needing to develop a whole new step in their cultivation process.

What Maik ultimately came up with was a conical centrifuge. The lilin projected 2 cones above their head and another 2 below their feet. They spun in opposing directions while drawing energy in and filtering it in the process. Only then did the previously established steps proceed. Swirling the energy to condense it and then send the two streams towards the Chi instructors center where it would then be condensed even further.

Something happened though. The expelled energies built up around the lilin and started forming a oval of swirling energies around Maik This ultimately lead to a connection forming between heaven and earth that manifested as a faint shimmer in the air around Maik and reached up into the sky.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

There was a vibration as the conflicting swirls of energy created magical friction with each other and that vibration was seeping all the way down into the marrow of Maik's bones.

The Chi instructor started panicking a little. The Intelligence, Durability and Perception stats were boosted but the strength of the vibration continued to grow. And yet... It felt absolutely amazing. Maik would not, could not let the feeling go.

More ! Yes. More ! Oh My God ! Were going to start taking damage at this rate, unless we do something. Maybe we can take control of the connection between heaven and earth. Might work. Do it.

Others had gathered around and Duke had even tried to stop the Chi instructor but a bolt of static electricity strong enough to knock the man back and render his right arm limp leaped from Maik's body as soon as he made contact with the shimmering air. "GOD DAMN IT..... Unnnn Fuck that hurt."

The rejected energy was slowly grasped and directed, pulled back inside the Chi instructors body and run along the outside of the steams which were being absorbed. This meant that a good portions of the energy that Maik had been collecting for them self went along for the ride, leaving Maik's body. Earthly energy shot towards the heavens while heavenly energy burrowed into the earth with Maik becoming the conduit.

Suddenly both the heavens and the earth responded. The energy flow before had been but a dainty pouring of energy, something like what you would see being poured from a tea kettle into a tea cup. What came through now was like the spray from a garden hose.

Power ! So. Much. Power. Unlimited Power. Maik activated every Chi skill they could to help mitigate the flow. No. To just survive the torrential energies threatening to rip the lilin apart at the molecular level.

That was when Maik heard it.

Heard probably wasn't the most appropriate term. It was more like a complex series of Emotions and concepts were used as a substitute for something as mortal a speech and by something so much bigger and more complex than this late teen could possibly comprehend.

Pleased acknowledgment of the young souls fair exchange.

But before Maik could even try communicating with... whatever this was a second entity communicated with much the same method but with such a difference in perspective that it could never have been mistaken for the same being. Kind of like how a you couldn't mistake a dude with a deep Texas accent could not be mistaken for the lady vocalist from Boston, even if there were saying essentially the same thing.

Gratitude for young seeds respect towards the natural order.

The energy stopped of its own accord and Maik collapsed. Minor regeneration was already operating at max capacity to help the lilin survive the aftermath and was thankfully working quickly to patch Maik back up. So Maik just focused on helping the skill as much as possible sense people still couldn't approach the Chi instructor until the shimmer in the air dissipated, lest they get shocked like Duke did.

But before it was safe to approach Maik was both able to get them self up and had a new notification.

Tier 5 skill advanced - Minor regeneration - Capable.

David was almost fuming at the mouth by the time Maik shuffled over and it looked as though he had already given Duke an ear full by the absolutely pissed look on his face. "What. The. Ever. Living. FUCK ? Daley ?...."

The Chi instructor just continued to stretch and work his half cooked body while Minor regeneration continued patching them up at a speed that was almost visible to the human eye.

David wasn't willing to let this go though. "I'm serious. I mean the. Weird, sort of glowing, eye color change thing was one thing but this..." He points at the patch of scorched grass where Maik had been seated a few minutes ago. "Just what happened And why did it happen without Duke, who I had expressly put in charge of keeping you out of trouble... How was Duke not informed about whatever that was and that this might happen ?"

Maik though about how to answer for a moment. I am way to swore to spin some good bullshit right now. I'm too busy helping the minor regeneration skill. Creative ? I don't know we could possible come up with anything more amusing than what actually happened.

So Maik started from the top. Explaining about cultivation, its benefits for improved Chi recovery, how he had the idea to add to the skill..... That was where David intervened. "There ! Right fucking there. That is the point where you should have informed Duke of what you were doing and where you Will inform your superior that you will be trying anything new in the future. Continue."

The faintest smirk crept onto the lilins face but they nodded and continued recounting the discoveries made with magic sense and on until the voices. "And that's about the time when... something... divine communicated with me. Two things actually... being ? Entities ? Some form of intelligence, 2 of them, let me know that they approved of me being a connection between the energies of heaven and earth. Then they broke the connection for me."

David was holding his face but Maik wasn't done. "But no worries. I learned a lot from the experience and I should be able to eventually develop a cultivation technique that can handle those levels of energy. It will just take time."

By this point Maik was looking and feeling worlds better. The squad leader seemed to take a moment to take note of that fact before speaking. "These people need out help with the group that drove them out of their homes. How about we lay off any experimentation until.... after.... ?"

David's brows furrowed in confusion as Maik started smirking, then lightly chuckling. The chuckle grew into light laughter and that laughter quickly became raucous, with the lilin throwing their had back and everything. "Huh...hm.. hm hm..... Hmm Hmm Hmm. Hehh Heh Ha haha Ha Ha HaHa HAA HAHAHAHAA HAAAaaaa."

When Maik lowered his head to look back at David everyone took a step back. They were all looking at the lilin the same way Jamal had looked at them back behind the tool shed after killing the illusionist and their guards. Then Maik recalled what David had just said, their eyes squinting. "What was that you mentioned about our eyes ?"

Uhh guys. We just referred to our self in public using the third person. Hush. I in the driver seat and it felt right. Oh yeah, this isn't disturbing at all.

One of the woman in the back ran off while David started stuttering. "What ? You mean... You don't know ?" How the fuck could you not know ?""

But the way that Maik looked at him shifted and this seemed to prevent any further comments. Eugene took the up lull in the conversation. "Your eyes have been changing for a while now. Mainly when you use your Chi skills. When your relaxed they look like the normal hazel but... Well I think someone went to get a mirror."

Sure enough the lady came back and passed Maik the portable mirror. Ohhh ! That's scary. This could be... disadvantageous. Jesus Christ that is disturbing. I mean its totally bad ass but also really disturbing. And why is only the left eye changing ?

When Maik had first gazed into the mirror both of their eyes were totally blood shot. Only a deep crimson where the whites of their eyes should have been. On top of that both irises were a bright glowing Medium spring green. That was changing however, but only for their left eye. The sclera was quickly shifting to a pure radiant while while the iris shifted to a glowing bumble bee yellow.

Maik deactivated all of the active Chi skills and could actually feel the flesh molding skill passively return their eyes to the usual hazel on reflex. People seemed to relax a bit once Maik looked like a regular human again. Maik looked at their friends. "Friends tell friends bout these things."

They had the decency to look ashamed but gave off the impression that they also figured Maik just had to have known, James voicing that clearly. "Hay man, I figured you already knew. I mean..." He gestures at all of Maik. "It wouldn't be the first time you had sprung major physical changes on us out of the blue and you seemed cool with the other changes so...." He shrugs.

Maik smiles. "Ohh I'm fine with it. It would just have been nice to have known, you know."

The squad leader claps to get everyone attention. "Alright. Now that that's settled, we have a counter attack to plan. Maik. I trust you can contribute ?" Maik nods and David continues. "Alright. Then I suggest that you all get familiar with each other and your capabilities." He points directly at Maik. "No more experimenting."

But Maik calls out to the squad leader. "David !" Prompting the man to turn back around and address the Chi instructor. Maik walks right up to him and leans in to whisper in David's ear. "Don't forget why we came out here. What we have been through in the past week. Even if the moon doesn't crush us all. I very much doubt that there will every be a good time to experiment. So don't expect me to stop just because it makes your job harder."

Maik steps back to continue in a normal volume. "But I will respect your wishes and inform you or whoever is currently my superior before I try anything else."

They hold each others gaze for a long moment before the squad leader nods. "Very well. though I must ask that you delay until after the battle. Your focus should be on the enemy rather than new skills until they are dealt with." It was Maik's turn to nod and they both set about making preparations.