Chapter 32: Inspirations
"I'll just call it Hydrogen Ball," he muttered, his voice low and measured, each word carrying the deliberate cadence of deep thought. "I don't have any good names anyway." The faint cyan glow seemed to intensify momentarily, as if mocking his lack of creativity. He wiped his brow, the back of his hand coming away slick with sweat. His gaze dropped, catching sight of a crimson streak trailing from his nose. A bead of blood dangled precariously before it fell, staining his knuckles.
He frowned, not out of concern but irritation. "Well," he murmured, his tone betraying exhaustion masked by calm resolve, "first, I'll wash myself and rest before I experiment further. It's stable now, a hydrogen bomb that won't ignite unless I will it. No need to worry."
The blood on his hands seemed to anchor him for a moment longer before he exhaled sharply and turned toward the stream nearby. The walk was short but deliberate, the forest's subdued ambiance amplifying the crunch of leaves beneath his boots. The stream's crystalline waters reflected the overcast sky, its gentle babble a stark contrast to the turmoil in Alex's mind. He crouched, plunging his hands into the cool flow, the sensation a welcome reprieve. As he washed away the blood and grime, the chill seemed to seep into his skin, rekindling his focus. By the time he straightened, his exhaustion felt less burdensome.
Refreshed, Alex ventured deeper into the forest. He moved with purpose, his Wind Sense extending outward like an invisible web, tracing the faintest disturbances in the air. Each gust carried a wealth of information: the whisper of rustling leaves, the distant chirps of unseen birds, the reassuring absence of human presence. When he reached the edge of a cliff, he halted.
The cliff rose sharply, its jagged surface marred by years of erosion. Veins of quartz glimmered faintly in the rock face, catching the light like scattered shards of glass. Below, the ground stretched out unevenly, a mixture of loose stones and hardy shrubs clinging stubbornly to life. The breeze carried with it a faint tang of earth and moss.
Satisfied that he was alone, Alex retrieved the Hydrogen Ball from his satchel. Its cyan light carved faint shadows onto his face, accentuating the sharpness of his jawline and the intensity in his eyes.
"Alright," he said, his voice breaking the silence, "time to test this properly."
Drawing a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes and summoned his mana. The energy coursed through him like a river of electricity, each pulse attuning him to the surrounding elements. With practiced ease, he activated his defensive skill.
Skill: Elemental Body.
His form shimmered, the air around him bending and refracting light as his body melded with the wind. He became translucent, his edges dissolving into the environment, an ethereal figure that seemed to embody the very essence of air.
With his body now intangible, Alex focused a thin thread of mana toward the Hydrogen Ball. The energy snaked toward the sphere's core, igniting the compressed hydrogen within. As the reaction began, he hurled the ball with precision, the wind amplifying its velocity as it hurtled toward the cliff's peak.
The detonation was instantaneous and awe-inspiring. A blinding cyan light erupted at the impact point, its brilliance rivaling the sun. The explosion expanded in a perfectly spherical wave, its edges shimmering as the energy dispersed violently. The shockwave followed, a deafening roar that reverberated through the forest, scattering leaves and shaking the earth beneath Alex's feet. Rocks cascaded from the cliff, their descent accompanied by the sound of grinding stone. By the time the dust settled, the once 75-meter cliff had been reduced to a jagged stump barely 30 meters high, its upper section obliterated.
Alex stood unmoving, his Elemental Body absorbing the force of the blast. The winds that carried the explosion's fury passed harmlessly through him, leaving him untouched. His vivid blue eyes remained fixed on the destruction, their depths reflecting a blend of awe and satisfaction.
"F*ck yeah, baby! I did it," he muttered under his breath, a rare smile ghosting across his lips. "Even though the range is small, the power's remarkable. As my mana grows, so will its reach."
The smile faded as his expression turned contemplative. "And the Elemental Body…" he mused aloud, his voice tinged with admiration, "it's perfect. Not just a defense but a key to integrating this magic."
He paused, staring at the sky as though envisioning his future battles. "To make this work, I'll need absolute mastery. I have to craft a Hydrogen Ball with just a thought. Without that level of control, this combination is useless."
The plan he envisioned was ambitious, almost audacious in its scope. By synchronizing the Elemental Body with the Hydrogen Ball, Alex aimed to weaponize the very atmosphere. His Elemental Body would act as the core, drawing hydrogen directly from the air and condensing it instantaneously. With each detonation controlled by his will, he could unleash a barrage of explosions, transforming himself into a living storm of destruction.
He straightened, the gears in his mind spinning rapidly. "I already have one, but what if I create something that enhances speed and allows me to float?" His lips curled into a thoughtful smirk. The concept was exhilarating.
He reflected on the nature of wind and its inherent properties. Air, after all, was not just a medium for movement but a force capable of incredible propulsion when compressed and released. Drawing from his experiments with the Hydrogen Ball, Alex envisioned a technique that combined controlled bursts of wind with precise manipulation of his mana.
Closing his eyes, he began to experiment. He gathered mana in his core and directed it outward, compressing the surrounding air into a dense pocket beneath his feet. With a sharp exhale, he released the compressed wind in a controlled burst. The reaction propelled him upward, his body lifting off the ground momentarily before settling back.
"It works," Alex murmured, his voice filled with quiet excitement. "But it needs refinement."
He adjusted his mana flow, this time compressing wind at multiple points around his body. By releasing these bursts in quick succession, he propelled himself not just upward but forward, gliding through the air in a controlled arc. The sensation was electrifying, the wind rushing past his face as he floated several meters before touching down gently.
Drawing inspiration from the chemical principle of propulsion—similar to how combustive reactions generate thrust—Alex fine-tuned the technique. By altering the angle and intensity of the wind bursts, he realized he could achieve complex maneuvers, from rapid ascents to sharp directional changes.
"Skill: Wind Propulsion," Alex declared, naming his new creation. "With this, I can not only move faster but also dominate the skies."
The potential applications flooded his mind. Whether escaping from an enemy or launching devastating attacks from above, Wind Propulsion promised to be a game-changer. Even though the Float skill is there but still the movement is still slower than this skill Wind Propulsion, that's why it's a game changer.
The technique demanded far less mana than he expected. By adjusting the pressure and frequency of the wind bursts, Alex could control his altitude and speed with remarkable precision. He floated above the treetops, the landscape below unfurling like a vivid tapestry of greens and browns, the forest stretching into the horizon. The cool wind brushed against his face, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth.
Testing his maneuverability, Alex angled his body slightly and released a stronger burst of wind behind him. The force propelled him forward in a smooth arc, the acceleration exhilarating. He executed a sharp turn, the wind shifting around him as if anticipating his intent. A faint smile played on his lips as he banked and spiraled, the movements fluid and natural.
As he hovered for a moment, high above the ground, he marveled at the ease with which he controlled the skill. "This is it," he thought. "With Wind Propulsion, I can navigate any terrain, even the skies, without exhausting myself."
Deciding to descend, Alex angled his body downward and released controlled bursts of wind, slowing his fall until his feet touched the forest floor lightly. The transition from flight to solid ground was so smooth it felt as though he had never left. He glanced at the sun—now high in the sky—its position signaling the approach of noon.
"Time to go and eat some lunch," he muttered, dusting off his hands as his steps crunching against the loose gravel as he began walking back toward the Capital City.
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