Domain

volume 2 upgrade specialist interval chapter 43 - unbelievable progress

Having done all I needed in my origin plane, I returned to Domain. Upon appearing back in my room I started to inspect the training manuals. First of I opened the verdant mountain gale.

On the first page was a brief description of the skill. Turning over there was a diagram on the page, pointing out meridians. Underneath that was a description of how the energy should flow to those meridians. Flipping through the book, I found that every page except for the first was like that. The diagrams each covered a single action my qi had to take.

Leaving the daunting list of 100 pages, I moved onto the next book. Opening the afterimage technique, I was surprised to find it was the same. A description and diagrams. Looking in the other books they were all like this, Each having around a hundred diagrams.

Solomon: damn, how am I supposed to learn this in three days.

From the looks of it, even reading and understanding a book would take two weeks. Then again, if Ourous said it, it was most likely the truth.

Moving on I chose which three I would focus on. As I would go on another mission in a week, I could only learn three skills in that time. Even with the extra 8 hours a day, it would still take 2 and a quarter days to learn a skill. As such I decided I would equally split my time between 3 skills.

After consideration, the one I left out was basic strengthening. Though it would be useful for the team, Alice already had a similar skill. On the other hand, I could greatly increase my strength with the other skills. So, in the end, the strengthening skill had to wait.

Sitting down on the bed, I took the mountain gale book. Looking at the first diagram, I tried to mimic it. Funnelling some qi into my shoulder, I searched for the Meridian. Surprising even myself, I found it within 5 minutes. As my qi reached the Meridian I tried to push it out. Like it said in the manual, I had to control the qi outside of my body.

To my disappointment, I couldn't control it. Still, it had only cost an insignificant bit of qi. Numbing my mind, I tried it again. Focusing completely on my qi, I pushed it out the Meridian. Unlike last time it did not instantly dissipate. For almost half a second it was under control.

Feeling the instantaneous improvement I was pleased. I knew if another person knew of this, they would turn green with envy.

Checking my clock I saw I had a few hours till lunch. Settling into a rhythm, I kept practising. In a few hours, a knock came on my door.

Alice: it's lunch Solomon, are you coming out to eat?

Finishing one last attempt, I replied.

Solomon: yep, I'll be out there in a minute.

Setting the book aside, I left the bedroom.

Solomon: hmm, what's this I smell?

The refreshing fragrance of meat hung in the air.

Alice: I'm doing a fry up, it'll be done in a minute.

Sitting on the sofa I waited for Alice to finish cooking. In the meantime I tested something. Pulling some qi out of my fingertip, I wrapped it around some paper on the coffee table. At this point, I had acquired some ability to control qi outside my body. Though it would only last for 15 seconds before withering away.

With a though I lifted the qi upward. As I thought, the paper had come up with it. It seemed when the qi was outside of my body, it had a physical form. Because of this, I could use it to physically move objects.

Though I had grasped that this was the essence of the skill, I had not grasped it fully yet. The best I could do at current was lift up some paper. However, I knew in the future that getting my qi to do this would be easy. The only issue was that no matter how controlled I was, there was always a huge deterioration in the qi over time. I would guess the mountain gale skill would reduce this.

Though it was slightly disappointing, when I had more qi I hoped I could use it freely.

Alice: it's done, here you go.

Bring me out of my thought, Alice brought in two plates of food. Knowing I couldn't eat fruit or veg, she had only cooked what I could eat. On my plate, there were huge helpings of Bacon, eggs and sausages.

Sitting down next to me, she handed me my plate.

Solomon: thanks, Alice.

Leaning over I stole a quick kiss. Slightly blushing, she told me not to worry about it.

Alice: it's no problem, so how's the training going.

Seeing an opportunity for mischief, I decided to have some fun.

Solomon: quite well, I'll show you.

Waiting for me to get up, she showed a confused expression when I kept eating. Taking a little qi out of my dantian, I pulled it out of a Meridian on my arm. With the tendril of qi, I grabbed hold of the hem of her dress. Pulling back the qi I got a clear view of her white panties.

Feeling the movement she looked down at her dress. Seeing the translucent tentacle, as well as her exposed panties, she quickly pulled her dress back down. Under the pressure, the qi tentacle dissipated.

Alice: kyaa, what are you doing?

Becoming embarrassed, her cheeks turned red.

Solomon: haha, sorry. I couldn't pass up such a golden opportunity.

Though she was embarrassed, she wasn't really upset. After all, what was a little panty shot.

Alice: so how did you do that? What was the see through thing?

Solomon: I've found out a way to control my qi outside my body.

I decided not to tell her about training manuals. If I did I'm sure she'd want to test her talent and buy one. For today I wanted everyone to relax. Though I didn't have that luxury, I doubted my teammates had the talent to learn skills in a week. So either way, there was no difference.

Tomorrow though I would have them all tested, even with horrible talent, they should still train to learn skills. As I had proven with my new way to use qi, just the training can help you learn new things about your powers.

Alice: wow, so how useful is it?

Solomon: at the moment not very. Just you pulling your dress down broke it. I'm hoping that if I train enough I could eventually use it for combat.

Though this was one aim, I wouldn't use it offensively until I was at E rank. The cost would be too high otherwise. Then again, I could see myself using it for other things before then. Like if I was falling from high up, I could use it to grab onto a ledge. there could be many supportive ways to use it.

As I thought about what I could eventually do, a distant memory resurfaced in my mind. A memory of naruto. The way in which he uses his chakra to create arms. However, I doubted I could do anything even close to that before D rank.

Alice: that would be crazy, wouldn't you be able to grab hold of a car and throw it at someone.

Solomon: eventually yes, however, even with all of my qi now I would struggle to lift a person.

Alice: that's a shame, I guess it's a goal for the future then.

As we continued to eat lunch, we talked about random things. Though there was nothing important said, the atmosphere was pleasant.

Solomon: thanks for the food, I'm going to get back to training.

Alice: okay, see you later.

Entering back into the bedroom, I picked the book back up. Once again I continued training. Like so another 3 hours past. In that time I had considerably improved my control. Now I could keep the qi together for 45 seconds. I could also now carry something as heavy as a jacket. Unfortunately, I still had found no way to reduce the cost. It seemed that once the qi was outside the body, there was no way to re-absorb it.

Still, I was happy with my progress, moving on I grabbed the raging sword training manual. Looking at the first picture I found the first action surprising. I was supposed to move the qi up into my brain.

The reason for my surprise was something I had learned from Pluvia. According to her putting qi in the brain was dangerous. If I tried to do anything there my qi could damage my brain.

Still, I moved my qi into my brain.

Though I trusted Pluvia, I highly doubted a skill in the system would cause brain damage. Looking at the picture, it told me to have my qi permeate throughout my brain. After a few seconds, I had done it. Then the next instruction was to think of the thing I hated the most.

Though it was a bizarre instruction, I followed it. Thinking about the capitalist mages guild, a familiar hatred seethed forth. I hated them for so many reasons. The way they robbed people, the way they treated Aries, the way they treated people as pawns. But worst of all, I hated them for putting my teammates in danger.

Ass the flames of hatred filled me, a weird reaction occurred in my brain. The qi there began to swirl. The more my hatred grew the faster it went. It was like it was reacting to my emotions, feeding off of them. Looking back at the paper, I read the next instructions.

"At this point, you should feel your qi twitching, as you continue to train, this twitching should turn into swirling. At its final level, the qi will come together, creating a ball. Repeat this step until you have a ball."

According to the instructions, I had missed out a step, advancing to the middle on my first try.

As the qi kept picking up speed it began to dissipate. Eventually, it had all disappeared. Moving back to the first step, I repeated the process. Like this, I spent the next 3 hours bathing in my anger. By the end, the original swirling had turned into a torrent. From my estimates, I was close to making it into a ball.

As I was about to restart the cycle, a knock came through the door.

Alice: Solomon, dinners done.

Solomon: coming.

Setting the book down my body instantly caught up with me.

Solomon: GRRRRRRR!

From my stomach, a deep grumbling exploded forth. After the hours of training, I had worked up quite an appetite. Walking out of the room I saw Alice sat on the sofa. Sitting down next to Alice I looked at my food.

It was steak with a side of chicken breast. Digging in we began chatting again.

Alice: so, how's the training come along?

Pushing some qi out of my hand, I lifted up my plate.

Solomon: faster than I thought, it's surprisingly easy to improve.

If I'd said that to an untalented person, they would beat me to death. I had done in a few hours, what most needed weeks for. my talent was a truly terrifying thing.

Alice: wow, soon you'll be doing everything like that.

Solomon: hahaha, I don't think I'm that lazy.

As we ate our food, We enjoyed each others company.