Taken Horizon Origin, volume 1, Duality

Episode 9 : engine upgrade

Before doing anything else immediately i looked into my primary heart. The aether was quickly forming its new layer. [seven stars crusher] was close to nearing its second upgrade after all this time.

As i cultivated the technique i simply followed the flow of what was happening with the aether within my body. [seven stars crusher] was dependent on how ether reacted after completing the first two stages before every third stage. Why though could be due to the fact my amber dragon heart is extremely volatile with its energy as it brimmed with aether

If i tried to rush the process i would fail immediately and explode which is not worrying at all. All i could do was guide it like a well written map inside my body.

The ether converged around my central heart in troughs crushing itself into place, surrounding my primary heart emanating a faint crimson hue of energy. Strings were being woven from my primary heart to the amber-gold and cyan-silver hearts strengthening their connection.

I realized after getting the amber hearts first upgrade with the dragon blood back in Cocyton that the three hearts all seemed independent of each other without much connection. I would tap into the silver heart for more control, amber for power, and my primary for a bit of both.

But now i see that the primary hearts purpose is to slowly merge together the other two prepping for the seventh step of their union. If alternate timeline Cayden had never given me this technique it would have taken years for me to figure this out! I was extremely grateful that he gifted this to me.

[bodies dragon factor has expanded to 66.6%]

[nearing qualifying standards for a true blooded dragon to unlock racial abilities]

The aether completed its formation of the new layer around my central heart and the primary heart began winding its strings of ether around the other two like a spider with two flys in its trap pulling them ever so slightly closer.

There was plenty of excess aether allowing the amber heart to get the majority of its new layer at roughly 13% but right now with the amount of strength I'm feeling within my body i bet i could lay a smack down on the famous yaksha's a lot easier than I thought before.

Over the course of another three hours i had managed to get halfway through consolidating my primary heart. I wanted to continue but if i go any further i wont have any aether leftover. Ive got two thirds left in the tank, but with how much ether is being wasted in the sealing of cracks I'm afraid I'll be completely out of ether

"Whew..." clenching and opening my fists i could feel that my [crystal flesh] and dragon body had once again gotten more refined giving me more bodily strength but only by a minor degree. Maybe 1%. My blood flow also felt even greater in power as well, likely due to the enhanced cleansing effect of the layers beginning formation.

"How's the upgraded heart, feral?" Thorn asked, noticing i was no longer in meditation

"Incomplete, but stronger. I'll be out of aether if i keep going so lets get out of here."

"Think you can punch a way out through the wall instead of the ceiling?" As Thorn quietly laughed at his own quip i shook my head

"its a little too thick for that."

[underwater bullet proposes taking you to the exit]

Caught off guard by the kind gesture i froze up for a second but Thorn suddenly answered on my behalf. "if your already going that far why not just take us out completely?"

[underwater bullet expresses there are rules the subservient gods must follow]

[underwater bullet states this is already the best they can do]