"Internal Force?" Malia repeated with incomprehension as she pulled a cute face with her forefinger resting against her lips. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm talking about the energy you released into my Lord's body, I an Ikaris, when you hit him." Danchun clarified without losing countenance.
"Oh... That? I don't rember clearly, but I have been able to use this energy since I was twelve or thirteen. Before I couldn't and the next day I could. I always thought it was so kind of hereditary talent."
Ikaris, who was noisily catching his breath, telepathically sought Magnus' advice,
"This internal force... what do you think?
'Actually... Danchun is totally right." The Vampire unexpectedly concurred. "Many call it Internal Force or Inner Force. But it's not like the Qi of those Cultivators you told about. It is simply the first evolution of a Life Spark. When it upgrades to level 2, it unlocks a new attribute just like Magic Defense with your Divine Spark.
" The Divine Spark's value is equivalent to Magic Power, which is equivalent to Magic Defense. The sa goes for the Life Spark. Its value is equal to Stamina, which is equal to that Internal Force. So call it simply Physical Defense at level 2, because without a special talent or a Secondary Spark intended for this purpose, this energy cannot be controlled and only raises your defense up to your Stamina. The more you cast spells and consu your Stamina, the more this Internal Force decreases. Likewise, when you use your Internal Force, you spend your Stamina.
"If Malia can vaguely control it to the point of externalizing it to attack, that would an her Life Spark is most likely level 3."
Was the difference between him and the Vampire-Kitsune that vast? Ikaris couldn't help but feel inferior. Then he rembered that to raise a Primary Spark to level 3 a value of 9 or 10 was enough. He already had that much.
But as Magnus had already told him the day before, this evolution often required years of training. How long had he been practicing magic again? About two weeks? And how long had Malia been training?
When he got his answer, the teen felt much better and regained his optimism. He was no worse, but he had a lot of catching up to do.
"...Yet this looks like the Internal Force of my old world." He heard Danchun was still grilling Malia. "It's subpar to Spirit Qi, but this vital breath I wouldn't confuse it with anything in the world. Are you sure you're not practicing a cultivation technique that allows you to build this energy in your Dantian or sothing?"
"Dan...tian? Never heard of it. Where can you buy it?" Malia asked innocently, causing the female Cultivator to beco frustrated.
The Kitsune was already doubting his wisdom, so Ikaris felt there was no point in denying it and decided to tell the two won what Magnus had just told him. After his explanation, Danchun's beautiful dark eyes lit up with renewed hope while Malia stared at him sharply as if she wanted to peer inside him to unravel all his secrets but he pretended not to notice.
Also, she was starting to get jealous of his System Spell. Since she couldn't read or count she was a bit stuck and even Ikaris had no idea how to teach her without solving these problems first.
On the other hand, Danchun may have never played video gas in her life, but she understood the usefulness of such a spell. Just that with her current Soul Strength, such a visualization effort was still difficult.
It had been a long ti since she had ditated with such a weak body, and for the ti being she would rather re-train her body and mind to prepare a solid foundation. If she wanted to know her stats or her Sparks' progress, she could always ask her Lord.
"Regaining my forr power may not be such a distant dream after all." Danchun smiled happily.
Then her face grew stern again and turning to the two slackers, she crossed her arms and said,
" Anyti for round 2. Oh and Malia?"
"Yes?"
"Don't use your Internal Force this ti."
Ikaris gave Danchun a grateful nod before resolutely raising his wooden sword. Like the ti before, Malia didn't give him a chance to guard himself and sorsaulted behind him, whirling around as if she wanted to decapitate him.
He only avoided breaking his neck thanks to his sharp reflexes and great survival instinct. As she slashed the air instead of his neck, Malia pouted with a disappointed frown, but as she saw the boy rolling in the grass a mirthful giggle echoed across the plain.
Ikaris, who had not yet jumped to his feet, suddenly got goose bumps and spun around just in ti to avoid being stabbed. His arms were pushed back against his chest and the skin between his thumb and forefinger split and began to bleed. In the blink of an eye, he was disard, his weapon spinning in the air, while he was knocked to the ground.
When he tried to stand up, Malia's wooden blade stood pressed against his neck.
"Do you surrender?" She taunted him smugly.
" I-"
Instead of finishing his sentence, he viciously kicked the naive Malia's shin and he heard a high-pitched whimper of pain. A gloating smile stretched his lips, but alas, a second groan of agony even more shrill than the first sounded right after. His own.
" For fuck's sake, Malia! Did you really have to kick in that spot?" Ikaris lashed out, his face turning purple from anger and pain. "What will you do if my precious family jewels are destroyed. How will you compensate ?!"
"I..." Malia suddenly felt guilty. "If your family jewels are destroyed, I-I promise to buy you new ones. Or-or we can go to Tartarus Shade and find a good goldsmith? I'm sure they can fix them."
The anger inhabiting the boy lted from his face as quickly as it had co. Now, he was speechless. As for Danchun, she was holding back her giggling.
"You know... I'm not sure such a goldsmith exists..." He suddenly played along with a cheeky look on his face. Such innocence at this age was borderline scary, but it was also too good an opportunity not to take advantage of.
"Really?" She replied uneasily, tilting her head to the side. " So how do we go about this? M-maybe I can fix your jewelry? Grallu always said I had fairy fingers.
"I'll take her word for it!" The teen rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Did Grallu also teach you how to polish, uh, I an handle this kind of jewelry?"
Malia tilted her head thoughtfully as if trying to rember what the late shaman had taught her.
"Yes, I can. Grallu had an amulet that she held dear and she always told that a good deal of elbow grease and a little saliva was enough to clean it. It just needed the right wrist shake."
"Pfffffffftt!"
That was too much for Ikaris and Danchun.
"Hahahahahaha!
Seeing the boy writhing on the floor from laughing so hard, and Danchun's strained smile from holding back her laughter, Malia knew that sothing was wrong. At that mont, the otherworldly dancer whispered in her ear and by the ti she was done the Kitsune's face had already turned beet red.
"Pervert!"
The result was that Ikaris reaped another kick in the crotch, but thank God he was prepared this ti. He squeezed his legs just in ti and it was his knee that took the fall.
'She's wife material.' Magnus comnted in his head with the genteel tact of a gentleman delivering his verdict after sampling a fine wine. 'And she's a Vampire-Kitsune... If you know what I an...'
'Oh, shut up!' Ikaris snapped, sensing that the old Archmagus was coasting.
Still, that didn't stop the Vampire from going through with his cheesy joke,
"Vampires like to suck thing you know... And Kitsunes, oh Kitsunes... You have no idea what you're getting into. She'll eat you alive without spitting out your bones..."
Ikaris then had to endure the increasingly smutty rantings of the old bastard, while remaining impassive in front of the two young won. To put an end to his tornt, he asked for a third round, which ended again in defeat.
After a few more humiliating losses, he started to get the hang of it and Malia learned to better control her strength. A sparring training, profitable to both of them, could finally comnce in earnest, with Danchun analyzing their mistakes and rectifying their postures after each spar.
The day passed, punctuated by the clashing of their swords. In the afternoon, Ezrog joined them, seemingly overexcited at the idea of fighting with them. Nardor had, according to his own words, kicked him out. The giant simply had no manual dexterity. His strength was just good for smashing skulls.
Just before nightfall, they returned to the village. Ezrog happy, Ikaris exhausted, and Malia beaming.
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