Chapter 35: Training (1)
Chapter 34 — Training (1)
Fourth Underground Level: Sense & Reaction Training Room.
"Start it."
I gazed at the men watching from the control room.
"Understood."
"It will now start at 3… 2… 1…!"
The scattered pillars began to rapidly spin as their chains swung around wildly.
Level 1.
Swooosh!
Swooosh!
I saw countless incoming iron objects nearing me from every direction in a fast and ferocious way.
At this moment, I saw every action happening around me to occur slowly, allowing me to carefully anticipate them.
I started to avoid them by using my flexibility and gymnastic parkour techniques to their best.
Those large pillars were scattered throughout the room, so there was no space to avoid their long chains.
Swooosh!
Swooosh!
The chains were whipping snaply across the air as they moved.
I was using simple movements to avoid the iron objects which were almost grazing my skin.
As I used my sharp senses and quick reaction speed brought by the metal nerves, I was able to easily clear this current level 1.
This was easy since my metal affinity allowed me to feel the movements of the chains and iron objects.
I was a blacksmith, after all.
After a while, I soon got familiar with the Elemental Stars.
"Some of the powers are great, but I can't depend on them too much."
If I depended on them, I knew It would limit my development.
I chose to restrict some of the Elemental Stars which were the metal star and earth star.
Although they were restricted, the body transformation they brought still remained since they were permanent.
Once I restricted the metal star, I also sealed my metal sense. At the same time, the earth star also stopped balancing my body.
To practice using my senses and reaction to their maximum potential, they proved to be a hindrance.
As for why only those two, I thought other Elemental Stars weren't that affecting my training. In fact, they did the opposite since they replenish my body and mind.
Now I was left with my sharp senses, monstrous body, and insane reaction speed from metallic nerves.
The sense and reaction training has many benefits like tempering my footwork to enhance my dodging ability, sharpening my senses and reflex, and improving my body coordination.
This was important to unearth and train the body transformations(body phenomenons) of elemental stars to maximize their use.
For example, I wasn't using the metallic nerves to their maximum potential despite it already showing visible improvements.
It went the same with my senses that were improved by various factors, but I was using them roughly.
I was also planning for variations like practicing my boxing skills by striking the chains and iron objects.
In my own eyes, they acted as perfect target practice.
After warming up from Level 1, It was time for the next harder level.
Level 2.
In an instant, I saw the difficulty increasing by several times.
The flying stealth drones were deployed throughout the room. Aside from them, I saw the pillars increasing their rotation speed several times.
Swooosh!!
Swooosh!!
Swooosh!
The chains now moved so fast and unpredictable that they were like blurry images.
At this hellish difficulty, It was certain my senses, reaction speed, body, and mind were now being pushed to their limit.
This showed how insanely difficult the current level was compared to the previous level.
Not only that, there were also stealth drones that shot rapid balls whenever it detected openings.
Swoosh!!
Swoosh!!
There were two steel rods that approached me from my head and legs.
As they neared, I quickly flipped my body to narrowly avoid them from mid-air as they swept past me.
At this moment—
Bang!
Bang!
Several balls suddenly fired at my back—a spot seemingly impossible to dodge while mid-air.
However, I fiercely controlled my whole body to twist unnaturally like a flexible snake to avoid the balls.
After I dodged the sudden balls, I landed on the floor satisfiedly.
But then—
Bang!
An extremely fast dulled blade abruptly slammed me from the side.
"....!"
Boom!
I was instantly thrown fiercely into a place where many chains waited for me.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
It was painful to get repeatedly slammed by iron objects that packed powerful forces from spinning so madly.
This would normally break some bones, but I was extremely tough to the point they only cracked apart.
And I didn't need to worry since the cracked bones were healing fast.
Bang!
Bang!
The iron objects were still continuing to slam against me, but I focused on pushing my senses and my reaction speed to their maximum potential.
And soon enough, I recovered and started to avoid them with sheer focus.
My dodging ability was improving gradually as my body instinctively adapted with more efficient footworks.
At the same time, I could also feel my reaction speed being tempered faster as my senses started to deliver the information to my nervous system much more efficiently.
After an hour, I was satisfied by the subtle improvements I felt.
And even though I've trained so hard, I wasn't exhausted due to my freakish stamina and endurance.
There were even factors like the wood star and water star constantly refreshing my body and mind.
My blood also acted as a medicinal blood that brimmed with extremely rich lifeforce energy that was further fueled by the raging energy of my fire star.
Not only that, various other factors strengthened my endurance and stamina, as well as lessening overall consumption like Steel Breathing and the water star.
After the training, I reflected on my experience from level two.
The level two was quite a problem since I realize I rely a lot on my sight to respond to them.
No matter how fast I react, If I just rely majorly on my eyes to receive visual information, I would be merely inefficiently using my monstrous body.
I must now learn to effectively use my entire senses to receive external information around me.
Once my senses worked together, I would be able to effectively receive information that my sight alone can't accurately collect or determine by using my other sense like hearing, touch and smell, allowing my response and reaction speed to become much faster.
In simple words, I need to thoroughly master the uses of my senses to fill the gaps of each other which would allow me to maximize the use of my hyperconductive metallic nerves.
Hypothetically, I even believed it was possible to form a sensory domain around me once I sharpened my senses to a certain high level.
It would be a plus if they also worked well with my muscle memory.
Later on, I decided to wear blindfolds at level 2 to temper my other senses and use them as naturally as my sight. I also plan to improve my sixth sense, the ability to detect approaching danger that can harm me.
I knew my sixth sense was sensitive to danger under the influence of the Life-Death Wheel.
However, I was sealing it to train my five main senses for now.
It was to be noted my current sixth sense only works on physical threats.
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Fifth Underground Level: Experiment Room.
"Prototype Battle Puppet #1 will now activate."
A woman's voice resounded from the speaker that was connected to the control room.
The control room was able to connect to the underground levels using speakers and cameras.
"The Prototype Battle Puppet based on the mechas…"
I gazed at the robust puppet that stood before me.
The black puppet was humanoid-shaped with a streamlined metal body. It was created from compressed spiritless alloys and a high-quality soul battery. There were also soul circuits engraved on it to properly use the battery.
"Activation Complete!"
After those words, the eyes of the puppet abruptly flashed with blue light.
It unsheathed a sword before wielding it with both hands—An indescribable disposition of an experienced martial artist erupting from it.
The puppet slowly examined me with its eyes.
And it saw a lot from me.
"Oraaa!"
The battle puppet charged towards me with heavy steps, its metallic sword slashing down at me.
As such, I fought against the puppet to examine its strength.
This puppet was inputted with a lot of martial arts knowledge by using soul letters. It even has knowledge about my combat style to devise suitable counters against me.
As for soul letters, they were information datas created when soul circuits were wielded into soul letters that contained information datas using complicated procedures.
A new technological innovation from Soul Guide Guild—an innovation born from the best environment that fosters creativity and productivity.
Although still rudimentary, they were developing it to not only include letters, but also numbers for more diversity and efficiency.
As the sword approached me—
In an instant, a black metallic color coated my fist. At the same time, the spirit heart pumped soul blood throughout my entire body.
Once it circulated into the Life-Death Wheel, my soul blood was instantly amplified and elevated to show powerful destructive capabilities. Even the Elemental Stars were trying to amplify my soul blood, but they still couldn't compare to the Life-Death Wheel since they were still growing up.
As my strength peaked to the highest, I thrusted my blackened fist into the sword.
BOOM!
The sword was instantly broken into countless pieces.
Swooosh!
A powerful shockwave spread instantly to blow the heavy puppet away.
Its blade couldn't even leave a scratch on my fist that was as tough as metal and as resistant as wood
"I shouldn't use my full power."
Or else the puppet would be broken too quickly.
Even the blade I forged a very long time ago couldn't handle my full strength.
After thinking so, I deactivated my spirit heart and soul blood.
Now I wanted to experiment with applying the nature of elemental stars into my boxing like when forging.
I imagined it.
There were flows of torrential and undulating forces within my body.
A smooth stream of flowing water that runs throughout my body; representing the flows of my strength.
This was once part of the lesson I learned from Hu Yu.
But these flows didn't exist only within my body, but now also extended outside the world.
I was different from then.
The elemental stars started to supply their true elemental essences to me just like when I forged.
I could feel them starting to work together within me under my will.
The elemental stars were working so well and excitedly unlike when I forged.
They thrived under the thrills of battle.
Just like me.
Swiiiish!
The puppet attacked me with a snappy punch that was enhanced by soul power.
My mind became extremely focused as I started to control those flows into my two fists.
I moved my hands smoothly and naturally like the flows of streaming water—my hands deflecting the puppet's fist before redirecting its own force back to him with the other hand.
The flows within my body were extended outside the world, now even capable of reaching the flows of others.
Bang!
A smooth sound echoed pleasantly.
I saw the puppet standing shakily upon receiving my power that was doubled by its own power.
However, I never planned to stop with just the nature of the water star.
I smashed my fist against it—moving so smoothly yet also bursting with explosive power.
The explosiveness of fire that burst from my four hearts and their explosive raging sounds. At the same time, the fire star in my heart also erupted with explosive strength and speed.
I focused all of them into the flows that now surged explosively like rageful tidal waves.
Boom!
My fist smashed against the puppet who guarded it with its thick arms, causing a fiery sound to surge everywhere.
The puppet was pushed back by a lot, but I charged toward it with my other arm arching backward like an arrow being pulled from a bow.
I thrusted my fist again.
And this time, I applied the heaviness of the immovable earth.
The surging explosive flows focused into one condensed point that wanted to smash rocks into pieces.
BOOM!
A large shockwave spread as the puppet's stomach crumpled and cracked; a heavy sound mixed with the smooth and fiery sounds.
I pounded my fist.
With the sharpness of the metal now being applied.
The condensed point was forged into a penetrating fang.
Swooosh!
The force of my fist penetrated deeply into the puppet's internal body to damage it from the inside.
At the same time, a piercing sound echoed while mixed with the other pleasant sounds from before.
Again.
I thrusted my fist.
To apply the final nature of wood.
It supported the flows and connected them tightly like roots, now allowing my movements to even resist the air to further increase my speed, as well as allowing me to withstand the backlash from the powerful impact caused by the extreme forces I exerted.
Bang!
An vibrant sound emerged along with the other pleasant sounds—mixing and merging together to form a five-colored musical note.
And when I combined all of them into one—
The tip of my knuckles seemed to blaze with five-colored shine.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
My two fists formed into flowing strings of punches that rapidly smashed against the entire body of the metal.
The strikes were so fast that they seemed to blur away to the naked eyes.
Moreover, they produced satisfying pleasant sounds as they hit the puppet, causing vivid musical notes flying out.
The puppet was helpless against the high-speed barrage of my fists.
And with each strike, the puppet saw its own metallic body crumpling apart from the outside, while its internal stare was constantly being damaged by the penetrating punch.
Even such compressed alloys were gradually breaking apart from my overwhelming strength.
I then took a deep breath, my Steel Breathing working to the maximum—I allowed my raging blood to circulate rapidly across my veins to overclock my heart to gain more surging strength and speed.
Bang!
I then punched forward as my fist rocketed into the puppet who was sent flying into the walls.
Its broken body fell down from the wall, no longer able to stand up.
I silently stood there while gazing at my fists.
A new boxing that used the Elemental Stars.
I was quite satisfied by the rudimentary formation of my new boxing.
Meanwhile, the female researcher didn't looked surprised when I destroyed the Prototype Battle Puppet.
Instead, she was fueled further with motivation to create a far more stronger and durable Battle Puppet to serve as my punching bag.
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