His exclamation echoed through the silent hall, drawing the attention of everyone present. All heads turned and looked at Danial with confused and curious gazes. Feeling the weight of their stares, Danial shook his head in embarrassment, trying to dismiss the outburst. He could feel his cheeks burning as he avoided eye contact, focusing instead on the System panel.Elysia's sharp gaze shifted to him, her eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of us?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of challenge.Danial swallowed hard, realizing he needed to think quickly. "No, Miss Elysia," he said, his voice steadying as he spoke. "I was just surprised by the reality of our mission. It's a lot to take in."Elysia studied him for a moment longer before giving a curt nod. "Good. Let that surprise fuel your determination. You'll need every bit of it."With the focus shifted back to Elysia, Danial let out a silent sigh of relief. He glanced arou
Danial took a deep breath and assumed a fighting posture, his eyes locked on Elysia. Up above and across the hall, behind the large, ornate windows, Grandmaster Quintan observed the sparring sessions with keen interest. His disappointment was evident as he watched the performance of the cultivators."They are not ready," Quintan muttered to himself, his voice tinged with frustration. "Their journey into the Ancient Ruins will be fraught with peril if this is the best they can offer."Behind him, a shadowy figure shifted slightly, stepping forward into the dim light. Ottoman, Quintan's trusted advisor and master of espionage spoke with a calm, measured tone. "Grandmaster, they are still young. Most of them come from the branch families of the great Houses, and they are considered weak even within their own families. The circumstances have forced us to make this decision."Quintan nodded, acknowledging the Ottoman's point. "I know, Ottoman. But that doesn't make their lack of readiness
After everyone had finished sparring with Elysia, they were given a fifteen-minute break. The participants, worn out but determined, took the time to rest and reflect on their experiences. Elysia, ever the diligent instructor, was already planning the next phase of their training.She gathered those who needed to refine their techniques and led them to the Combat Training Hall. Others, whose physical bodies required further strengthening, were directed to the Body Hardening Hall. The halls were filled with specialized equipment designed to target and enhance various parts of the body under the watchful eyes of their instructors.Danial, Maria, a green-robed student named Aric, a bald monk named Jin with prayer beads around his neck, and a few others were selected to visit the Martial Library, a place where ancient texts and manuals held the secrets of advanced martial arts. Elysia accompanied them, leading the way through the long, echoing halls of the academy. After a walk through t
Arriving at the training hall, Danial found a quiet corner to begin his practice. The hall was filled with the sound of students training, the clatter of weapons, and the grunts of exertion. He sat down, placing both the Fire Shield and Hellfire books in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he began to study the intricate details of each technique.The Fire Shield technique required the user to channel their inner fire, forming a protective barrier of flames. It was a defensive maneuver, meant to protect the user from attacks and create a temporary safe zone. On the other hand, Hellfire was a destructive force, harnessing the most intense and uncontrollable flames.Danial thought, "What I need to do is just swap out the fire from the Fire Shield into Hellfire. To do that I will have to start with learning the Hellfire technique first." He put the Fire Shield scroll aside and opened the Hellfire technique book. He started reading carefully, understanding the human diagram that was portr
Danial was so shocked and in disbelief that he looked around the room to see if anyone had witnessed what he had just done. The room was empty, and he let out a sigh of relief. Sitting down on his bed to calm himself, he tried to process the reality that he could use both the fire and water elements. "If I can use the fire and water elements, can I use the earth element as well? And maybe even other elements?" he wondered."If I can use both fire and water, can I use earth and other elements too?" he wondered. Despite wanting to dismiss the idea as ridiculous, curiosity gnawed at him. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate, imagining the earth element. He felt a deep, grounding sensation, a connection to the solidity and strength beneath his feet. His internal energy reacted by becoming dense and heavy, almost like it was rooting itself into the ground.Soon enough, he felt a small piece of stone hovering above his fingertips. Opening his eyes, he saw the stone floating there, de
The group was so frightened by Danial's appearance that they started to intensely sweat. The one who had demanded everyone kneel before the queen was trembling in fright, but with trembling lips, he still managed to say, "W-why are you not kneeling before the queen?" Danial, concentrating on calming his internal energy, hadn't even heard them enter. When he finally registered the noise and turned his head, he saw the group and a girl in an elegant black skirt leading them. He asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you and what do you want?" Danial was incredibly tired, having exhausted his internal energy, and needed time to recuperate. The caller, incredibly frightened, was about to speak when the girl raised her hand to silence him. In a voice as sweet as it was commanding, she said, "Hello Danial, I have heard great things about you." Danial couldn’t muster the energy to respond. He slumped from his previously straight posture, and the steam slowly began to subside. His fatigue was ev
Danial sat cross-legged, eyes closed, as the soothing flow of his internal energy began to replenish his strength. The fatigue from his rigorous training ebbed away, leaving him more centered and focused. Feeling rejuvenated, he reached for the scroll Marvin had entrusted him with: Titan's Endurance.As Danial unrolled the scroll, his eyes traced the ancient characters, absorbing the nuances of Titan's Endurance. The technique focused on the meridians—channels within the body that guided internal energy. By widening and strengthening these pathways, the technique promised enhanced energy storage and control.To his surprise, Titan's Endurance was deceptively simple. Unlike the complex techniques reliant on the System, this method was straightforward: circulate internal energy through the meridians, applying gentle strain. This strain caused minor damage, which would heal over time, resulting in stronger and more capacious meridians.Settling into a meditative posture, Danial initiated
Danial entered the secret realm and found himself standing on a vast grassland. Hills, trees, and tall grasses swayed gently in the breeze, stretching as far as his eyes could see. He was taken aback by the unfamiliar surroundings. Panic began to set in as he thought, "Why am I here? What is this place? This was supposed to be the realm of the Three Musketeers." His heartbeat quickened, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.Scanning the horizon for anything recognizable, Danial spotted a towering tree in the distance. Deciding to approach it, he hoped it might provide some answers. As he got closer, he noticed Master Balthazar and Master Yamato sitting under the tree, engrossed in a game of chess. Master Abhaya stood behind Balthazar, hands clasped, watching intently.Danial sighed in relief, realizing he was still in the realm of the Three Musketeers and not some unknown place. He approached them quietly, observing Yamato’s beads of sweat and Balthazar’s smug expression. Abhaya sa