The silence that followed my bold claim hung in the air like a physical weight. Commander Wood's face had turned an alarming shade of red, his eyes narrowed to slits.
"You have so nerve," he finally said, his voice dangerously low. "First, you arrive three days late. Then you dare to criticize Master Bellweather's thods. And now you claim your unknown techniques are superior?"
I stood my ground, eting his gaze steadily. "I wouldn't say it if I couldn't back it up."
Zane Avery stepped forward, barely containing his laughter. "This is absurd, Commander. We shouldn't waste another minute on this... charlatan."
Commander Wood studied for a long mont before turning away. "Continue with the scheduled training, Captain Avery." He glanced back at with dismissive finality. "Knight, your services won't be needed."
As they walked away, William placed a restraining hand on my arm. "Liam, that was—"
"The truth," I finished for him. "That training program will destroy those soldiers."
"Maybe so, but you've made powerful enemies today."
I watched as Zane resud barking orders at the exhausted troops. Already I could see at least three soldiers struggling to maintain proper form, their movents increasingly erratic.
"They'll co around," I said quietly. "Sooner than you think."
William sighed. "And what do we do until then?"
"We wait." I turned to leave the field. "In five days or less, they'll be begging for my help."
---
Back at William's residence, I settled into the guest room he'd prepared for . Clara brought tea, her curious gaze following as I unpacked my belongings.
"Father says you're one of the most talented alchemists he's ever t," she said, setting down the tray. "Is that why you were so confident with Commander Wood?"
I smiled slightly. "Partly. I've also seen the consequences of improperly applied training thods firsthand."
Clara leaned against the doorfra. "And what happens if you're wrong about the Commander's program?"
"I'm not wrong," I replied, taking a sip of tea. I studied her for a mont, noting sothing unusual about her energy signature. "You cultivate?"
She seed startled by my question. "I... try to. Not very successfully."
I set down my cup. "May I?" I gestured toward her.
After a hesitant nod from Clara, I reached out with my spiritual sense, carefully probing her energy pathways. What I found made inhale sharply.
"A pure dark energy body," I whispered, genuinely surprised. "Extrely rare."
Clara's eyes widened. "What does that an?"
"It ans standard cultivation thods won't work for you," I explained. "You need specialized techniques designed for dark energy affinity."
"But all the training manuals father brought ho..." she trailed off, looking disappointed.
"Were for balanced or light energy cultivators," I finished. "No wonder you've struggled."
I made a quick decision. "I can teach you so basic techniques while we wait for Commander Wood to co to his senses."
Clara's face lit up. "Really? You would do that?"
"Consider it repaynt for your father's hospitality," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm.
---
That evening, I began teaching Clara a modified breathing technique designed for dark energy cultivation. We sat cross-legged in the courtyard garden, the setting sun casting long shadows across the stone tiles.
"Breathe in through your nose for four counts," I instructed. "Hold for seven, then exhale through your mouth for eight. Focus on drawing energy into your lower dantian, but don't force it."
Clara followed my instructions with impressive concentration. After several minutes, I could see dark energy beginning to circulate more naturally through her ridians.
"That's it," I encouraged. "Let the darkness flow like water. Don't resist it."
William watched from the doorway, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. Later, as Clara continued practicing, he pulled aside.
"Dark energy cultivation?" he questioned quietly. "Isn't that dangerous?"
I shook my head. "Only if improperly trained or tainted by negative emotions. Clara has a natural affinity for it. Fighting against her nature would be far more dangerous."
William glanced at his daughter. "I've consulted countless masters about her cultivation difficulties. None identified this."
"It's extrely rare," I explained. "Most cultivators have mixed energy signatures. Pure types are uncommon, especially dark energy types."
He nodded slowly. "And you can teach her properly?"
"The basics, at least. Enough to get her started on the right path." Th@i@s c%h&a!pt%e*r# is fr#o%m- the c^o@llectio*n at *.^
William clasped my shoulder gratefully. "Thank you, Liam."
---
Three days passed. Each morning, I checked in at the Battle Zone, watching from a distance as Zane pushed the Dragon Tiger Team through increasingly grueling exercises. Each afternoon, I returned to train Clara, whose progress was remarkable once she began using appropriate techniques.
On the third day, I noticed a marked decline in the soldiers' conditions. Their movents were sluggish, faces pale and drawn. Several were missing from formation, presumably in the infirmary.
William confird my suspicions when he returned from headquarters that evening.
"Five soldiers collapsed today," he reported grimly. "Commander Wood is concerned, but Zane insists it's normal for intensive training."
I shook my head. "It's only going to get worse."
"How much worse?" William asked.
"By tomorrow night, they'll have serious injuries. Possibly permanent damage to their ridians."
Clara, who had been practicing nearby, looked up in alarm. "Can't you do sothing?"
"Not until they ask for help," I replied. "Sotis people need to see the consequences of their mistakes firsthand."
The next day dawned with an ominous feeling in the air. I spent the morning preparing dicinal herbs, anticipating what was to co. By evening, my predictions proved tragically accurate.
The urgent pounding on William's door ca just after sunset. A young lieutenant stood outside, breathing heavily.
"Commander Wood requests Mr. Knight's imdiate presence at the Battle Zone dical facility," he gasped.
William and I exchanged glances. "What happened?" I asked, though I already knew.
"Multiple casualties during night training," the lieutenant replied. "At least twelve soldiers down with severe injuries."
We followed him through the darkened streets to the Battle Zone. The dical building was chaos—dics rushing between beds, moans of pain filling the air. Commander Wood stood in the center of it all, his earlier arrogance replaced by grim concern.
When he spotted , a flash of anger crossed his face, quickly replaced by resignation.
"Knight," he acknowledged stiffly. "It seems we may have a situation."
I surveyed the room. Soldiers lay on cots, so writhing in pain, others ominously still. "ridian collapse," I diagnosed, examining the closest patient. "Internal bleeding. Energy pathways ruptured."
Zane Avery burst into the room, his face ashen. "What's happening? They were fine yesterday!"
"This is exactly what I warned you about," I said, keeping my voice level despite my anger. "The pressure has been building for days. Tonight it finally reached critical levels."
A doctor approached, his expression grave as he addressed Zane. "Captain Avery, I've completed my assessnt. These n have extensive internal damage. Multiple fractures in their ridian channels. I'm afraid they won't be training again anyti soon—if ever."
The shock on Zane's face would have been satisfying under different circumstances. Now it just confird the disaster I'd tried to prevent.
Commander Wood turned to , his pride visibly crumbling. "You predicted this. How did you know?"
"Because I understand energy circulation and its effects on the human body," I replied simply. "Sothing Ignazio Bellweather's incomplete training plan clearly didn't account for."
The Commander straightened his shoulders, making a visible effort to regain his composure. "Can you help them?"
I looked around at the suffering soldiers. The damage was severe, but not beyond repair—at least not for all of them.
"Yes," I said. "But I'll need complete authority over their treatnt and future training."
Commander Wood hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Do whatever you need to do. Just save my n."
As I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to work, I caught Zane's devastated expression. The realization dawned in his eyes that his blind adherence to a flawed system had caused this suffering.
I moved to the first patient, placing my hands over his damaged ridians, channeling healing energy into his system. The road to recovery would be long, but at least now there was a path forward.
Behind , I heard the doctor's grave voice speaking to Zane. "I'm sorry, Captain, but these injuries are catastrophic. The ridian damage is extensive, and several n have suffered complete energy pathway collapse. Unless a miracle occurs, their cultivation careers are finished."
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