“Can you explain to me the story behind Sky Roar?” Ark asked Silvia, who emitted green energy sporadically from different body areas.

“Shouldn't I tell you how it works?”

“Nah, the story would tell me the inspiration and goal. I believe the intent of the original creator must be grasped if one wants to truly understand the technique.”

“Well, fine. It isn't that big of a deal, and you did save my life and helpd me with the political marriage.” Finally resigning herself to divulge her family's secret technique, Silvia sighed. “My father passed it onto me through Spirit Resonance, but the story is a legend that I know from childhood, so I can try, but it won't guarantee a success.”

Spirit Resonance was how one could pass on a technique to their successor. It involved engraving the technique on the similar spirit and having the successor experience the technique on their own flesh.

Most masters passed their techniques by engraving their simplest ones first and gradually reaching their ultimate technique, a process that gradually shaped the disciple's spirit to better execute their style. Of course, that is only if the attribute matched.

On the other hand, Ark learned his Void Replica techniques, including his former Iron-Sword Style, through understanding. He liked his method despite being harder because it meant he would have an easier time creating his own techniques one day, a difficult feat that only geniuses like Ragna could achieve.

“Even that much is fine. Honestly, it's worth it.” Ark placed that much value on Sky Roar.

Silvia sighed one last time, and the next time she spoke, her voice changed. It was the voice of a storyteller.

“Once upon a time, a little girl looked at the sky. And to her surprise, the sky looked back.

“However, the girl who caught the attention of the sky was not left alone ever since. Storms raged and lightning struck, threatening to destroy everything but the girl that looked at the sky's bare, true form.

“Distraught by the disasters that kept following her no matter where she went, the girl asked the sky to stop.

“The sky, amused by the situation, offered a bet: he will leave her be if she can catch him.

“Thinking she would fail, thunderous laughter mocked the girl, but silence replaced it as the sky saw the girl entering a place he could not see from above.

“Lonely, without the only girl who could see him, the sky went down to find the girl, only to see her old and wrinkled, destined to soon die.

“That is where he roared, channeling his powers to bring down one final act of destruction upon the only human to ever see him.

“The girl, now old and wise, did not fight back. She hugged the sky and accepted his emotions and his thought that no one understood.

“When it was time for the girl to die, the sky personally descended and escorted her to Heaven. The end.”

Ark took several minutes to let the story sink. He breathed slowly.

“The part about Heaven is utter bullshit.”

“I like that part.”

“Your family must have changed the story at some point to look better in front of the Church of Light.”

“Even so...”

“Utter bullshit.”

Silvia glanced at him exasperately; green energy halted. “Your manner of speaking is really like mercenaries.”

“Oh, my apologies, my lady. I shall take your advice to heart and mind my vulgar tongue with extra care.” Ark bowed theatrically.

“Don't. Please.”

“Yeah sure. Anyway, thanks for the story. I think I got a better grasp of the technique.”

“But are you sure you don't want me to make even a demonstration?”

“Nah, I got two examples right here in my head.” He pressed his right temple. “That's all the demonstration I need.”

He was unable to replicate Sky Roar, but that was still the technique that fascinated him the most. He visualized the two instances in his memories countless times, and now that he had a clue to the purpose of the technique, he wanted to try to imitate it once again.

But currently, he had infinite magic power, so he decided to focus on the Potentia series as well.

The Void Spirit unfolded, bare of Phantom boosting it, and contained the fire energy.

Ark redistributed the fire energy to his right arm. As the red color faded from the rest of his body, his arm was dyed a deep red hue. The unbalanced strengthening threatened to tear his arm off his shoulder. He extended his arm, intending to release the energy. The red energy dispersed from his palm in such a range that the accumulated energy wouldn't kill even a goblin.

(That went worse than I expected.)

He tried it again using the other three energies, and the results were even worse, save for the water energy that was slightly better. After resorting to try all four at once, Ark wrecked his arm but failed to even push the four energies slightly as they fought among themselves.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Apparently, controlling the power the spirit provided was much easier than other energies. The difference from before was immense, however. Now Ark finally had a means to somewhat regulate the energies that outright refused to obey him before.

But then again, that was something he would explore while testing and training his spirit, which behaved oddly compared to the former one. Right now, the focus was on magic.

Ark desperately searched his mind for the sensation that came along with the Praesidium series formulas. His mana transformed again into a vibrant brown color, and he tried to activate the earth-variant barrier on top of that. Unfortunately, he failed to activate any spell as the energy wasn't bound to his control.

So instead, he attempted the overcharged spellcasting. His mana veins seared, and the synchronization rate spiked. He focused on his solid body parts: bones, teeth, and nails. Then he attempted to cast the barrier once more.

A vibrant brown dome enveloped Ark. It was twice his height while seated with the same diameter—the limit with his magic power.

Seconds later, the barrier crumbled, and shards flew at Ark and Silvia, but the two ignored it, the former with his spirit's defenses and the latter with a casual emission of wind energy.

A moment later, another barrier was constructed, this time vibrant blue.

The crumbling pieces drifted down like water before dissipating.

Repeating the process without a break, the barriers quickly changed from blue to green and green to red, then red to brown and repeat. Ark took several breaks, channeling water energy through his mana veins to 'cool' and heal them. Then he went right back to abusing them.

It was accompanied by a lot of pain, but the mana veins showed slightly better resistance each time. Maybe, rather than expanding his veins, he should start working on strengthening them? That was something to consider.

Although ideas had already started flashing rapidly, all would require plenty of experiments and improvement of his controls, or straining his mind even more.

(This is fun.)

The prospect of growth tended to be elusive, especially for Ark, who developed at a rate much slower than normal. Even the mere possibility caused him to quirk a smile.

“I think I got it!” Silvia happily said, and Ark turned his attention to her.

“You did?”

(In just an hour? Something that took me years?)

She nodded. “Watch.”

Mana transfromed into the greeny energy of the wind, gaining a platinum gleam from the resonance with the Primordial Wind, and Ark could see that the energy Silvia wielded was several times more potent than his own. Even the subtle manner in which it was moved suggested greater control.

Then, the energy disappeared, only the silver hue illuminating its master with the deserved majesty.

“My Primordial Wind made it harder, but I can do it after practicing enough. Now I won't be held back from freely practicing with this. It also gave me a few insights as to how I could...” Her voice trailed off, and Ark could almost see the cogs spinning in her head.

“Great job.”

(I'm not jealous!)

Indeed, he was not jealous. This was envy, naturally.

“Shouldn't we go back now? I'm starting to get nervous.”

"Oh, please, that room is pretty much empty. Just what exactly can happen inside an empty floor underground?”

A death flag was raised.

And in response, the world hadn't failed him.

Falling to the ground, the green-haired young knight appeared out of thin air inside the subspace; shallow wounds adorned her body. “We are under attack.”

◇◇◇

Ark's first thought was 'impressive'.

He had speculated, but her appearance in the subspace confirmed his theory that Wendy also had a rather highly ranked wind attribute.

What hinted at it was her odd green hair color. The same applied to Liliana. People with powerful attributes had corresponding hair and eye colors.

Even as the news of the attack was delivered, he hardly tensed. On the contrary, he felt relaxed knowing he wasn't there. In his mind, he had already planned a vengeful counterattack on the enemy.

The only problem was the state of the knights. He didn't care for their lives, but a single death would tranish his unblemished record.

Although he was a magnet for disasters, it certainly wasn't a fact he wanted to advertise.

So he asked, “How many?”

“One. A mage.”

(Easy as pie.)

He used the knife edge of his palm to knock Wendy unconscious and grabbed her. “Silvia, hold me tightly. I will break this space to escape.”

It was his last resort, but there was no better option.

His movements became limited as he held Wendy in one arm and Silvia clinged to him from the back, but his mind sharpened regadless, and he knew he could execute the slash.

Silvia did help as well. Her Primordial Wind grasped them like a gentle layer of wind, comfrotable from the inside and ferocious from the outside. She seemed to have understood Ark's intentions by asking her to stick close.

The space around the blade vibrated slightly, and the slash that descended severed the subspace.

Black cracks appeared on the spot of the slash, rapidly spreading throughout the space at a dizzing speed. In under a second, black cracks engulfed them from every possible angle, and the space itself had begun to crumble.

The silver energy fought back the cracks that wanted to destroy them along with the space. Silvia channeled more energy as the silver radiance dazzled Ark. He was partially blinded as a weightlessness sensation erroded him, then quickly vanished as he positioned himself on the ground.

The green sword shattered at the side, ignoring the chaos.

Ark also ignored the surroundings, completely pushing them to the background. Without a sliver of hesitation, he boosted his spirit to the extreme and struck the only unfamiliar face in the room—a woman with a smug smile and a crazed intent. Her hair was white as snow, and her eyes were kaleidoscopic blue and purple, enchanting everyone with a mere glance.

“That's so cute.” She examined Ark, amused.

Silverstar stopped right before her throat, trembling under its owner's shaking hands.

“What are you doing?” He desperately attempted to prevent emotion from leaking in his voice.

“Would you like me to explain?”

“Yes.”

The woman wore a charming smile, but Ark couldn't help but note the glint of disdain her eyes contained. “I charmed you.”

A wave of mana washed over him, and he felt the strange feeling intensifying. He dropped his sword to the ground with a clanking sound.

“I am the Snow Witch, Calia. I came here for you, Ark. Because for all that extraordinary strength you possess, I can still charm you and make you mine.”

Ark wanted to curse her, but words wouldn't form in his mouth. The lightest touch of Calia should have logically disgusted him, but it didn't.

(Her mana...)

Only after examining the energy she emitted did he understand.

He had noticed before that Wendy was manipulated by someone, but he sensed the truth that it was only one invader and quickly went for the kill.

What he had failed to realize was that only a few managed to resist the control to some extent, and even they couldn't make a move. The witch's mana saturated the room; the effects of enchantment it likely had hazed their mind.

“Ark! What's happening?” Silvia shouted from behind, her Primordial Wind shielding her.

She rushed with Ventus Potentia strengthening her, and Ark felt her clear intent, the clearest and purest intent he had ever felt; she intended to strike down the enemy, noticing Calia's manipulations.

Swiftly, almost without a thought, Ark turned around and cast Ignis Potentia, tackling Silvia to the ground. Unable to react in time, she found herself preoccupied with the red energy, igniting her own green energy.

Ark turned again and looked at the witch, waiting.

Her mana washed over him like a wave once more, and her lips curled into a beautiful smile.

“Let's go.”