Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 45: Training and Cultivation

*Alto*

[Some time later]

I wiped the sweat dripping down my forehead as Alban rushed at me with all he had. I dodged out of the way, appearing to his side as he punched the wall of the training room.

Alban grinned as he swung his arm, forcing me to jump out of the way. "Not bad, Alto. Seems you've improved while abroad."

I smiled back as I charged electricity in my right palm. "Same goes to you."

"You thought that I was going to just stay here and do nothing? Like I'll let you widen the gap between us!" He slammed his hands on the rock covered arena, sending a wave of earth after me.

I jumped in the air and closed my right hand, causing the electricity to spread through my fist. A wide grin covered my face as my punch came down at him. He blocked the punch by creating a large earth hand and directed the now weakened flow of electricity safely through his body and into the ground.

I gasped. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

Alban grinned as he raised the ground beneath my feet. "I came up with it while watching Iah battle Lei. And this when he fought Yen!"

The rocks covered my legs entirely.

"Tsk. Earth mages," I said, chuckling. I closed my eyes and focused the earth mana to my feet. The stones encasing my legs crumbled as a wave of electricity ran up my legs until it covered my entire body.

"Woah, neat trick!" Alban said as he pointed his wand at me. He transformed it into a broadsword and brought it crashing down, sending another wave of earth. I jumped up and saw just how much sand had formed from our fight.

I twisted in mid-air as Alban raised the sand toward me just like how Iah had done to Yen in her battle against him.

"Come on Alto, this can't be all you've got!"

I grunted as the sand wrapped all around me and pulled me toward the ground. Blood spat out of my mouth after my back struck the floor.

"Alto!" Arima yelled, running after me.

My entire body ached. A burning sensation spread throughout my entire body as if it were being destroyed from the inside.

"Alban, why did you do that? You didn't need to go this far?"

"His bones have shattered, it's the requirement for him to use the pills we made, isn't it?"

Arima gasped. We had finished making the pills for all of us, but it turned out that we created a stronger one than the 'Pill of Fortitude' which was to strengthen our bodies. Instead, it resulted in 'Pill of Ache' which according to Bruno required that our bones are shattered before it can take effect.

I let out a scream as my skin turned dark red as if it had peeled off. Waves of blue prana spilled out of my mouth, sending Arima and Alban flying into the opposing wall. Much to my surprise, the wave sent even me outside of my body, well an astral form of me.

"Alto!" Ulissis yelled as he reached his hand out toward me. The pulsating waves seemed to be affecting even him as he winced by the sheer amount of prana hitting him.

If I had known that I would've been in this much pain, I would never have taken that cultivation pill. Then again, I never figured that it would be in a situation like this one but in a battle against an enemy that I had to defeat no matter what.

Bruno chuckled from within his barrier. "Awaken your powers, elevate into the next level, young Novus Magus Secundus," he said as he formed a barrier around me.