Elio touched his book, feeling level 10's power flow through him.
It was ti to put his training to the test.
The challenge chamber materialized its familiar scenario once more.
Aria, Lila, Valeria, and Taron watched from the entrance, waiting their turn to practice their movents for level 8, though first they would witness Elio's "practical class" with the Locus.
The monster, which once represented a formidable threat, now served as a daily training tool for everyone.
Today would be no different.
Elio deliberately positioned himself near the center, a silent invitation that the Locus was quick to accept with a mad rush.
The beast charged, its ten ters of mass moving with that speed that was now familiar to Elio. Every muscle, every movent, was readable to his enhanced perception.
The space between them reduced rapidly: 50 ters, 20, 10, 5...
"Isn't he going to...?" Aria whispered, holding her breath.
At the last instant, when the Locus's claws seed inevitable, Elio slid to one side. It wasn't an exaggerated movent or a dramatic jump; it was a simple lateral jump (with the strength of 10 n, of course), so precise that it barely left the necessary space between his body and the deadly claws.
"Incredible," Taron murmured. "He didn't even use an impulse."
Elio repeated the exercise again and again, each movent more fluid than the last.
He no longer needed the red glow in his eyes nor suffered the bleeding it caused. Neither did he require the help of helium, neon, or wind; his base speed of 10 points, combined with his understanding of space and movent, was sufficient.
But it wasn't enough for him.
"Today we'll do sothing different," Elio announced, his eyes fixed on the Locus as it prepared for another charge. "Let's see if we can bring it to frenzy... while preserving all its body parts as best we can."
Valeria frowned. "Why would he..."
"Because he needs to understand his limits," Taron responded, a small smile forming on his lips as the Locus began its next attack. "And sotis, to find those limits..."
He prepared himself, focusing on the monster approaching Elio.
The observers held their breath as the space between Elio and the monster disappeared. The real training was about to begin.
Elio's precise attacks gradually reduced the Locus's resistance without compromising its structure. When the beast surpassed the critical threshold of 20%, at only 160 left resistance, the change was instant.
A roar shook the chamber as the frenzy activated. The Locus's body glowed with renewed energy, its speed doubling to reach 20 points.
"Here cos the jump skill," Valeria murmured.
The jump was explosive, faster than any previous movent.
Elio tried to dodge relying only on his base speed and perception, an experint that ended in failure with him caught in the monster's massive fist.
"It's fine," Taron comnted upon seeing the concern on Lila's face. "The damage is minimal and..."
Before he could finish, the Corrosive Glaucus discharged a stream of acid that dissolved the Locus's wrist. Elio freed himself easily, landing gracefully.
Locus: 100 resistance
'Two more attacks,' he calculated as the monster reincorporated. 'Let's see what else I can learn.'
The next charge was equally brutal.
This ti Elio resorted to a simple helium impulse, but even so, the Locus's claws grazed his armor.
'Not enough,' he thought, preparing for the next assault.
When the monster attacked for the third ti, Elio intensified his perception trying not to overdo it but... The familiar red glow illuminated his eyes for an instant, the world slowing down enough to allow him to find that perfect space between the claws.
The movent was successful, but the cost was imdiate: thin lines of blood left his eyes and marked his face…
He still had much to learn.
♢♢♢♢
Three minutes later, the frenzy's glow extinguished. The Locus, exhausted of mana, could barely move.
Locus: 40 resistance
"All yours," Elio indicated to his companions, wiping the blood from his face. "Practice your control for the level 8 challenge."
While watching them begin their exercises, his mind was already on the next day. The frenzy had revealed limitations he needed to overco, spaces where he could improve.
'Tomorrow,' he thought, 'we'll see if I can dodge that jump without bleeding.'
♢♢♢♢
The days rged into one another while Elio perfected his movents against the Locus.
Each session was a constant reminder of the Artromus's speed: it doubled the monster's frenzy speed of 20 so... There was no margin for error.
On the other hand, the group's progress had been notable. Zara reached level 9, while the others conquered 8. Lila, Valeria, Aria, and Taron now provided enough security outside for Zara to join the practice sessions.
"Ready?" Kriz asked, spinning his resistant alloy blade between his hands.
i nodded, her eyes studying the Locus with the analytical intensity that characterized her. "Rember, the cut must be clean. A single line."
"As if it were that easy," Brok murmured, though his voice carried more positivity than pessimism.
Lila remained silent, focused.
Elio observed from the side while the group positioned themselves. Their magical damage statistics had barely increased, from 49 to 51 points of magical damage, as they still hadn't obtained the level 8 summon. But sothing had changed.
The first attack confird it.
Kriz's blade whistled in the air, finding the Locus's neck in a perfect arc. This ti, instead of stopping halfway, the tal cleanly went through the flesh.
"You did it!" i exclaid, her eyes shining with understanding. "The theory was correct."
"Theory?" Brok asked, as the monster's head fell.
"Fifty points is 5% of the total resistance," Elio explained, approaching. "It seems to be the critical threshold. With just enough magical damage, the monster's integrity yields in a specific way, allowing the cut to go through completely."
"Like breaking an invisible system barrier," i added. "Once you surpass a certain limit, the system doesn't protect you and the rest is easier."
Kriz smiled, retrieving and catching his blade. "Who would have thought that mathematics would be so useful for decapitating monsters?"
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