43 The Raging Storm Comes (2/2)
A massive bolt of tribulation lightning shot down and blasted the sword, with the girl practically on top of it! The surging lightning wreathed the area around in thick lightning, and Lineir's forearms shook and the hair on them was singed away to leave an acrid smell of ozone and flesh. When it was over, Lineir peered over his bone scythes... the black blade was there, seemingly fine, if anything it looked illustrious and the dancing streaks of lightning inside seemed more lively and many. Around the sword though, the ground was completely blackened and charred for ten meters, and the girl was laid-out on the ground, smoldering. Tentatively, Lineir asked Mei,
”Is she dead?” Then he walked over and picked up his sword, prodding her with it. Mei analyzed for a moment,
”Mmm, it depends on exactly how strong she is, and most importantly, her resistance to lightning. She was in human form as well, that would probably lower her chances of surviving. The sword took almost all the direct impact however, Heaven's wrath is truly drawn to the sword. Her behavior before the tribulation was quite strange however. Something is clearly bothering her, I wonder why she bothered to fly all the way up here, is she seeking treasure? Hard to say, but you should get going kiddo. Dead or not, there's no benefit to being near her.” As he was walking away, he couldn't resist one last prod.
”ACHHOOOO!” A vicious sneeze roared from the previously prone girl, and she began heaving deep breathes.
”Definitely not dead!” Lineir sprinted away as fast as he could, and ran and ran. No way was he going to deal with that crazy girl when she woke up. She seemed to blame everything on him, his luck was truly terrible. As he ran, he marveled at the speed he could obtain. By kicking off the ground, he could propel himself many meters forward like a gazelle, and he practically floated across the air. He soon left the girl behind.
”With any luck... She'll wake up with amnesia and forget all about me...”
Lineir was not hopeful however, recently, it seemed like nothing in life was so easy as that. At least, however, The Raging Storm Stage made him feel like he truly was a storm! Floating across the land, capable of wandering like the wind! The freedom of speed, one of the primal feelings which everyone can appreciate, was beyond enjoyable. To have crossed entire realms in such a short time, the sudden change in his body's capabilities made him feel as if he had been reborn as something greater.
”This feeling, Mei, I don't even care if I cannot fly, this speed, each of my jumps makes me feel so free!” Lineir remarked on the greatness of this change, and Mei laughed sadly,
”Yes disciple, to have directly crossed a realm like that, I can imagine the difference must be like Heaven and Earth to you. I wish I could go back to the days when I wandered the worlds searching for power and accomplishment.” Mei's voice was like dripping rain, liquid and heavy with the changes wrought by time. Lineir quietly slowed down a little now that he was fairly certain he wasn't being followed. As he was about to say something to change the atmosphere, Mei spoke first,
”Kiddo, I think you need to learn a real technique. It's time I taught you a killing move!” Lineir, shocked by this change of pace, could only agree happily. Mei had been drilling him in the basics for so long, to finally say that she was going to teach him a technique was an acknowledgement of his prowess!
”What kind of move master? Will I be able to blow through enemies with one blow like that ultimate technique of yours?” Lineir excitedly asked, Mei's ultimate blow had left a deep impression on him, and no wonder, it had destroyed an undead construct which could have ended the world in one blow!
”No, no, no, your getting ahead of yourself kiddo. That kind of blow is something which took me many years to train in. You may have grown a little stronger, but a kitten is still a kitten, you cannot simply wish to have claws. No, actually, I promise that this move will have terrifying destructive power which will allow you to take down both large foes and groups of enemies at once, but there is a catch.” Mei hurriedly stated the last bit before Lineir could interrupt,
”Tell me disciple, when you took down those golems, were they not far larger and stronger than you?” Lineir nodded his head.
”However, you took them apart piece by piece. This technique will be like that, you will exploit the enemy with multiple small blows, and then finish the fight with one grand strike, chaining the damage together!” Lineir noticed a contrast between this statement and the one before however,
”But Mei, didn't you say that I'd be able to take down a large foe, as well as groups of enemies with this technique? If I am chaining together a bunch of small moves to do a large strike, while that would certainly work well on a single foe, how does that work for groups?” To this, Mei simply laughed and said,
”Think about it kiddo, haven't I always told you that if you pay attention, the enemies' swords and bodies can become your swords and bodies? If you properly manipulate, as if they are one single enemy, how is that any different than fighting a single larger foe? Of course, this technique will require incredible control. I am specifically choosing to teach you this because your analytical abilities while under that madness state are too terrifying. It is as if you already know where their weak points are. Combining that analysis with my technique will allow the power to multiply and grow tenfold. Now do exactly as I say.” Lineir excitedly waited for Mei's instruction, would she have him channel his energy, teach him some mystical combo, or way to imbue his sword with elemental might? The actual answer however quickly made his face fell,
”Walk. In order to train this technique you're going to need to walk a lot. You'll have to train it while we journey up this pillar. Now begin here...”
With a crestfallen expression Lineir began to trudge up the pillar once more.