91 Heaven-bound Training (1/2)

Clay had wanted to train his subordinates to be the pillar of Alleucanth when he decides to go and pursue even more power in the future. Clay knew that Alleucanth was still just developing and so the techniques and knowledge here was not exactly what he could consider modern. He had to go to other planets that could possibly have other powerhouses. He was powerful in Alleucanth, but what's to say that he'd still be powerful when he visited other planets with more advanced magic and scientific technologies developed.

So, he could only make them ascend.

The thing about ascension was, that any skill that he had prior to ascension were upgraded to better versions of it. Even Ultico was upgraded. So, before he made his subordinates ascend and possibly his son Ryan as well in the future along with his mother Giselle, who Clay now had some inkling of romantic feelings toward.

When they ascend, the first thing that they'd benefit from is the fact that they'd live longer lives compared to even the long-lived species like the elves. However, with a magic technique that Clay developed, dying of aging would be impossible for them.

He developed the technique of flooding the entire human being with magic particles instead of the usual elements. This process is arduous and painful in the long run, but the effects are boundless.

This was a technique he developed owing to his knowledge of some eastern fantasy cultivation methods. If in eastern fantasy, it was Qi that was absorbed by the body to make it tougher and stronger, Clay's technique replaces Qi with magic energy.

The manual was divided into 14 books. Each book contains the methods for cultivating the skin, bones, nerves, viscera, mind, perception and control. All of which were required to tempered again and again until they reach the next level. It was simple, not as complicated as the cultivation methods of eastern fantasy. It was a step by step method towards ascension that he cropped up.

Although for his subordinates, training was the only way. He couldn't let them slack off and cultivate close doors, when they had responsibilities to perform and take care of in Claiomh.

Their training now consisted of being pumped with magic energy from Clay. Yes, Clay was forcefully washing away their human flesh. This was the same with the methods of cultivation, but it was forceful and the pain they had to undergo was not something that should have been experienced if they cultivated instead.

Clay was not remorseful. He wanted them to be the first to understand how painful it is to gain power. Clay himself had to undergo a torturous period before he had become powerful. That was a long time ago though.

After the incident on Ryan's birthday, it had already been a few months.

”You will grit your teeth and endure! You are warriors that will one day serve as pillars of this world. The gods can do nothing to you unless they descended themselves. You will rule the entire world with might and power!

”Endure! Do not think that power comes without effort and pain. You've experienced firsthand how painful it is to gain even the measly power that you had. You couldn't even finish one Demon even when you had my support. That's how weak you are. Compared to others, you're still chicks!

”I was ashamed to even admit that you are my subordinates. I could snap my fingers and kill without doing anything else, and yet my subordinates cannot even take down one Demon. The Shame!

”From now on, you will experience pain that transcends pain that you've ever experienced. All for the sake of your survival!”

With his impassioned speech, Clay proceeded with washing the four of them with his magic energy.

He was constantly monitoring their stats and their STR, INT, MGC, and DEX were steadily increasing at rapid speeds towards the millions in each session. Each session would last only about 2 hours and in those two hours, their screams would never cease.

Clay estimated that by the time he finished with them in a month, they'd have stats that go over at least 10 million.

”This should be enough to ascend with a decent enough power afterwards. Stronger that even Azarael when he had all that miasma collected in his body.”

This training session lasted for a month and each day, would be more torturous than the previous. By the time they finished. Caltec, Isaac, Jon and Mor all had faces as serene as the night. As if they were unfeeling. However, their trembling betrayed what they had inside their minds. They feared the pain they had to endure yet again. However, they did not protest. They willingly gritted their teeth in order to be granted with power that would enable them to do their utmost in protecting their loved ones, their home and the peace they had built.

It was a month later that Clay decided to make them ascend. The place he chose as the ascension site was the peak of Moribor. He leveled the inside of the top of the mountain to make some space for them to proceed with the Ritual. The Moribor peak was now hollow as the space Clay decided to flatten was the interior of the peak.

Inside, Clay was standing a few meters away from the four of them. They were also separated by at least ten meters apart. Clay would work on them one by one from now on.

When the time came, Clay proceeded with the Ritual. And just like how he ascended it may take them a year at most or years if they are slow.

Clay snapped his finger and a household golem appeared beside him. He assigned this golem to take care of the four of them and this site for as long as they are yet awake before leaving.

At Claiomh, he assigned Yorna to be the temporary Mayor for as long as Isaac was training. He told her to relay to the families – the original families – that the four of them were training and that they will be absent from Claiomh for an indefinite amount of time. Just as Clay will also be gone.

”It is up to you to manage the entire city. Giselle will help manage the Empire, so you don't need to worry about it, just take care of this city and the original family. Here are some ideas that you may implement in this city first and expand and spread it to the empire later.

”Infrastructure, energy source, magic tools development, plans for world unification and magic techniques for the Elementalists and recipes for Alchemists.

”It should last you some 50 years or so until you finish all of these plans altogether. Exhausting this would put you to step into the future. I look forward to it when I come back.”

Without staying longer, Clay disappeared while Yorna was looking at the documents. It was a stack of over 5 meters of paper, all plans for the future of Claiomh. Clay was planning to disappear and leave after his retainers were done with their ascension.

***

A few years later, Clay and Giselle and Ryan were sitting on a dining table inside their palace.

The food was aromatic and pleasing to the eyes. Giselle and Ryan were already eating, and Clay was simply enjoying this view. His fondness of Giselle had grown to an affectious stage already and love was clearly seen in his eyes these days. However, along with the love and yearning in his eyes for them, his family, there was also worry.

Giselle who was quite perceptive of Clay's micro expressions asked him.

”What troubles you my Lord you have yet to touch your food?”

”Ah! I was just enjoying the view of you and my son, eating peacefully and hope that it will continue to be so. The Demon Realm Emperor has already visited, the Dragonkin Emperor as well. The King of the Beast Prairie also graced us with his presence a few months ago. They have expressed their wish to unite with us one way or another.

”Ryan is already a young man. Right son? He is at a marriageable age and so I have arranged for him and the daughter of the Dragonkin emperor, Kezel to be wed this coming year. The Dragon emperor expressed his desire to unite us through the bond of marriage, obviously.

”The King of the Beast Prairie also expressed this; however, Ryan is only one, and their pride would not allow their princess to be merely a mistress. So, I've arranged for Caltec's son, who has now grown to be younger than Ryan a few years to marry their daughter. I have already arranged this for them, Caltec will not object.

”The Demon Empress though, has expressed unity in the form of marriage with me. I need your opinion on this, Giselle.” Clay stopped talking and waited for Giselle to voice her opinion.

”My Lord, there is absolutely no problem for one such as yourself to have as many wives as you can. It is only natural that such a grand Emperor should have many heirs. In fact, Ryan has been such a blessing to us already and more like him should secure your Empire for eternity.

”So, marrying the Demon Empress and possibly having children with her will also be a glorious achievement for your Empire. That is my opinion.” Giselle stopped talking up to here and continued eating with a smile.

”I see. However, having children is already out of the question. It seems that with my power, the ability to sire children has been lost in me. I mean we have tried time and again to produce another heir, however my constitution no longer permits me to have children. This is the price I must pay for the power I now possess. It cannot be remedied. That is why, it must be better to marry the Demon Empress with Ryan instead. Even as a mistress, she should be suitable for him. What say you, son?” Clay asked for Ryan's opinion. It was not because he wanted Ryan to decline but because Ryan too knew Clay's circumstance. After all, he was the only one who knew of Clays condition after Clay confided in him, entrusting Alleucanth to him.

”Father, there're no objections from me if it is your will. I shall obey.”

Clay chuckled and soon began to laugh. He was glad that his son was someone he could talk to as an equal when they were in private. If not, he'd have no one to talk to and whine with.

”It is decided then!”

***

Another year passed and movement from the peak of Moribor alerted Clay, disappearing as he felt the movement.

Arriving instantly at the hollowed peak, Clay found Isaac first who was now floating in the air and looking at him curiously. After a few seconds of confusion, he immediately recognized Clay and descended to the ground to bow before him.

”Your subject, greets the Lord!”

Clay felt Isaac's power overflowing and surely, even those that are in hiding all over the world, could feel even a faint trace of this power. In fact, even the gods should have felt this power.

”Isaac. You have done well. Suppress your energy to the maximum level. Do not let it leak lest you freeze the people you are supposed to be protecting.” With a laugh, Clay patted Isaac's shoulders and told him to suppress his power.

Isaac had looked like a pure ice spirit earlier. He was emitting unbelievable amounts of frost energy and his spiritual body was indeed ice-based. Clay could also feel that his connection to the Spirit Realm had gotten better and in fact, the Spirit King of Frost now stood almost as Isaac's equal. After suppressing his powers, Isaac's human countenance returned, and he was relieved.

”Good. Let's wait for the others to awaken then.” Said Clay. It was Isaac who he first made to ascend. Next was Caltec, then Jon and then Mor.

Not soon after, Caltec did finish his ascension and had a spiritual body that was geared more on close combat. His spiritual body looked like a monk's. The same procedure happened as with Isaac and Clay made him to suppress his energy.

Soon, Jon and then Mor also awakened.

Jon's spiritual body was a swordsman. Quite common, but still powerful. And Mor's was a Magician who wore heavy armor. Most probably a magic swordsman.

After this reunion, Clay had taken all of them to Apollo's Lair. By this time, Apollo's Lair had already been established for years and its facilities have become state-of-the-art. The insulation was at its greatest output and not even the heat from the core of the Sun could enter the mansion. The golems continued their work while the four of them were surprised.

”Sire, where is this?” Asked Isaac. He felt apprehensive of the place, naturally. As if he was standing inside the most dangerous place he could possibly be.

”This is my Lair, on the Sun. I made this a long time ago. I took you here, because from now on, I will entrust to you the world of Alleucanth. You will be its overseer, executioner, judge, and guide. I have in this Lair of mine plans and knowledge that can help you further guide the world into prospering into the future.

”You will have access to all my golems here after I turn over the ownership to the four of you.