Thunder and Wind Collide
‘Ah…….’
A sigh of awe escaped my lips unbidden. How could it not? A vast thundercloud loomed over the expansive sea of ether slumbering within me.
Crackle, crackle-crackle-crackle!
At the heart of the thundercloud, a massive sphere of lightning spat flickering bolts outward. Tendrils of lightning extended from it, resonating with the ether sea below.
An all-too-familiar phenomenon.
‘This is the process of ether taking on an attribute.’
In other words, my ether was beginning to embody the thunder attribute.
‘But my attribute was definitely wind?’
I turned my head, scanning my surroundings.
‘No…… way.’
I widened my eyes in shock once more. On the opposite side of the thundercloud, countless whirlwinds raged across the sea’s surface. At their center, wind energy coalesced into a spherical form, manifesting in midair.
Whoooosh!
The fierce gusts from the wind energy reached even me. To sum it up, I now harbored both thunder and wind attributes.
‘Dual attributes?’
I let out a hollow chuckle. On the Abian Continent, it was basic common sense that a person could only possess one attribute. This held true even for those who wielded spell-like mana arts—while their spells could draw on multiple elements, each individual’s core ether attribute remained singular.
‘Yet here I am, holding two…….’
Suddenly, I recalled my first visit here after regressing: that brilliant blue flash amid the ether sea. Looking back now, it must have been this thunder power all along.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
Fwoooom.
Lightning struck in real time, storms gathered. The two forces expanded their domains, vying for supremacy.
‘If this keeps up, they’ll clash.’
As I bit my lower lip, it happened.
BOOM.
The thunder and wind energies collided near the center of the ether sea.
‘Urk.’
My mind nearly shattered in that instant. The shockwave from their clash packed enough destructive force to obliterate my consciousness. A few more collisions like that, and my internals would tear apart.
‘Wind…… Qi Gong.’
I gritted my teeth and circulated Wind Qi Gong. My will infused the wind energy just as it geared up for another clash with the thunder. The wind retreated from the front lines, yielding to the thunder.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
With the wind in retreat, the thunder roared in victory, unleashing a brilliant flash. Fortunately, it showed no intent to press further, holding its ground.
Crackle, crackle—.
It simply continued scattering lightning, maintaining its resonance with the ether sea. The situation stabilized for now. I exhaled in relief, and as tension ebbed, my vision darkened once more, consciousness flickering.
“Hoo.”
I regained consciousness with a ragged breath, surveying my surroundings. The same state as before ingesting the Intuition Rune.
‘That was…….’
I closed my eyes immediately, introspecting my internals.
Crackle-crackle!
Fwooom.
The two opposing energies persisted. It hadn’t been a dream.
‘No way…….’
I had truly acquired dual attributes.
At that moment.
Unknown power synergizes with Intuition Rune, producing enhanced effects.
‘……!’
I felt a surge of energy coursing through my body, eyes widening.
‘What’s this now…….’
Before I could finish the thought, another system message appeared.
Limit Break (S) has activated.
Grrrrrr.
Sweat poured like rain, my body trembling as if electrocuted. Moments later.
A searing pain burned in my eyes alongside the system message.
“Guh……”
A stifled groan slipped from my clenched teeth. Enduring the agony, the pain eventually faded, a cool energy soothing my eyes.
“……”
I blinked. My vision worked normally, sharper than before.
‘Predator’s Eye?’
Recalling the recent message, I could only stare in bewilderment. Predator’s Eye—one of the mantis stance abilities accessible to Complete Body mantises via primalization. It pierced weaknesses and grasped battlefields at a glance.
‘This defies all common sense.’
I chuckled dryly, remembering Norton activating it during the ghost ant ambush. It synergized perfectly with super senses. Thanks to that rune-skill combo, I’d shattered the indestructible exoskeletons of Hercules, Pallawan, and Titan clans.
‘But a Complete Body…… primalization ability, right now?’
Daily growth beyond imagination left me reeling. It had to be that ‘unknown power.’
‘Limit Break itself only triggers at Growth Stage…….’
I gave up forcing Megaera Mantis power into my logic. Whatever—it was fine. Just one Intuition Rune, and my senses sharpened, letting me grasp my innate power better. Thus, thunder attribute and early Predator’s Eye.
‘Status window.’
2. Transcendent Regeneration (S)
3. Intuition (B)
4. —
Checking the status, my eyes sparkled at the molting progress.
‘Already 43%? It was just entering 10% before the rune.’
A 30%+ jump in one go—unpredictably massive. Unprecedented growth speed.
‘No wonder my physical strength felt boosted.’
Strength up to E+, Durability to E. No one would believe this for someone a month into Juvenile Stage.
“Haha.”
A joyful laugh bubbled up naturally.
Zing—.
“Tch.”
A sudden stinging pain from my dantian furrowed my brow. Like dozens of needles pricking relentlessly.
‘The thunder energy’s unstable.’
Wind was controllable via Wind Qi Gong, but thunder was a wild flea. Big surges like before would bring this agony repeatedly.
‘Pain’s the least of it.’
This was a live bomb. Another clash, and my untrained dantian wouldn’t hold—ripping apart.
‘Even with Transcendent Regeneration, destruction might outpace recovery.’
If the dantian dam burst, I’d have to expel all my ether. Losing that asset.
‘Can’t let this much ether go. Rebuilding would take forever.’
Was skimping ether from Infant Stage biting me now?
‘Need a way to control thunder.’
I racked my brain. Best: acquire a thunder-attribute core art. But thunder was the rarest attribute, true arts scarce. Grabbing junk in haste would backfire.
‘Then…… a thunder-control artifact first.’
Should I contact Estelle? She could source one, though costly and tough.
‘Contact her first.’
Knock knock.
That’s when.
“Aleck! You in there?”
Kind?
Kind had grabbed a rune from the Mantis Hall treasury, then sought Instructor Norton for guidance—first time accepting a rune, needed directions. Once done, Norton learned I was at the dorms and summoned me.
I entered Norton’s instructor office.
“You met the Lord, eh?”
“Yes.”
“Heard you accepted his proposal. Wise choice. As he said, times are dire. You must become an absolute powerhouse for our cause. You could even surpass me.”
“You flatter me.”
“Chung Hak Gwan dispatch list drops soon. Won’t see you for a while.”
Norton sounded regretful, then fixed me with a serious gaze.
“Come to think, we’ve never crossed swords one-on-one. Care for a lesson before you go?”
Sudden proposal from Norton. I’d figured no training guidance after refusing discipleship.
‘Though I never felt the need.’
Against Norton’s level, I could go all-out at my current max. I pondered, then nodded.
‘No downside.’
And I was curious. How formidable was Norton’s blade?
Pre-regression, only rumors—no firsthand view. Ghost ant raid was first.
‘He wielded thunder too…….’
One strike, but clear: thunder-handling sword unlike my prime Wind White Swordsmanship. Terrifyingly destructive, domineering aura.
‘Witnessing that style could help me master this energy.’
Asking for thunder lessons now would disrespect the tribe’s top warrior. My ether unstable—rest was wiser—but I accepted anyway. Born warrior, after all.
I smirked inwardly, replying.
“An honor. Please guide me.”
Straight to Norton’s private training ground.
“Remove your weights.”
“Yes.”
I went to the corner, unfastening leg irons.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
Turning back, Norton stood center-stage.
“Let’s gauge your level before Chung Hak Gwan.”
He drew his sword.
“Come at me full force.”
I nodded, gripping my hilt.
‘No tricks work on a master like Norton. Full throttle from the start.’
I closed, then opened my eyes. Golden energy swirled deep in my pupils.
Predator’s Eye.
My gaze rapidly scanned Norton for openings.
‘Still too green for Norton’s caliber.’
Normally, weaknesses glow red. Nothing on him. My level and skill couldn’t detect any.
‘Hasty gains mean subpar performance.’
But no openings? Make one.
Predator’s Eye flared brighter. I focused on the ‘grain’ in his sword.
Combining Predator’s Eye with grain-sight revealed my optimal path.
Wind White Swordsmanship.
Form 6: Windflow Cloud Mountain.
Fwhoosh—.
My form vanished like clouds scattering in wind. In a blink.
Reappearing before Norton, I unleashed Wind White Swordsmanship at the ‘grain’.
“……!”
I caught it: Norton’s eyes widening in shock, torn open in astonishment.