Chapter 96 - Attunement

“... What I can’t do here while I meditate?” 

“I would be thankful if you didn’t dirt the place with anything unusual.”

“Then, I will bring a box of food and a jug of water to use it here. Will it be fine?”

“Will you maintain your meditation state while doing all that?”

“There is only one way to find out.”

It was pretty hard to imagine that Zelos would be able to do that, but he had an idea of what he should do to avoid some issues. Once he made the right preparations, Zelos then began to meditate again after he had slept for around sixteen hours. He couldn’t believe that he didn’t make any progress when it came to his physical prowess in all those days…

For starters, Zelos meditated, hoping that his body would only grab food and water when absolutely necessary. That took some time since he was used to eating a lot and always felt hungry. So, whenever he did that, his meditation broke. 

It took him around two weeks for him to be able to grab an apple and then eat it automatically without thinking anything. When Reina saw that, she nodded to herself in satisfaction. One of the goals of that exercise was to make a person able to do what was necessary out of instinct instead of their own volition, and Zelos was able to reach that very first stage… now he had to maintain it for a week.

The next stage took some time as well. Doing things like eating or drinking water while maintaining that state was relatively easy if compared to going to the bathroom to do the number one or two. Zelos soon realized that his focus broke during those times nonstop. Still, soon, he realized that his focus was improving as his Magic and Resolve increased.

“I definitely am not going to piss and shit myself while shitting on the ground, and I have already wasted too much time to give up and go back home now.”

Zelos didn’t know if he could force his way to complete the task with sheer determination alone, but he sure planned to do so. Still, he had to be smarter about that. Instead of just sitting down again, Zelos grabbed his sword and then began to train with it. He swung it until his stamina was completely empty, and then he continued until his arms barely could move and the skin of his hands had been peeled.

After that, he went to meditate again and waited until he had recovered from the wounds. On his second attempt, he tried to swing his sword while standing and meditating. As one would expect, he failed countless times… but eventually, he was able to swing it while keeping his focus. Thanks to that, he didn’t even feel the strain of the effort.

Reina raised her left eyebrow since Zelos decided to change the order of the steps when it came to that kind of training. Still, he kept going and slowly improving his feeling and his focus… two weeks after he started that kind of training, he was able to finish a full training session where his stamina was completely depleted without breaking his focus. 

Once he pulled that off, Zelos tried to meditate for one week nonstop without breaking his focus while doing everything necessary… and he pulled it off.

“This is surprising, usually, one would need a higher level of their magic to pull this off. Did you realize that as your magic increased, your ability to focus increased as well?”

“... I thought that it was due to my willpower increasing.”

“It seems that you aren’t prideful enough to lie. In any case, the more magic you have, the more you are connected to the spiritual world. The more stamina you have, the more connected you are to the physical world.”

It made sense. Magic, in its essence, was a force that drew from the spiritual realm. It required an attunement to energies and powers beyond the tangible, physical world. Those with great magic often found themselves more in tune with the ethereal, able to sense and manipulate some traits better and increase their power. This connection to the spiritual world came with its own set of strengths and vulnerabilities, making a person more susceptible to the influences and fluctuations of that realm.

On the other hand, stamina reflected one’s connection to the physical world. It represented the body’s ability to endure, exert force, and withstand physical challenges. High stamina meant a strong, resilient body that could persist through physical trials and recover swiftly from exertion. Those with greater stamina were deeply rooted in the physical plane, able to channel their energy into sustained physical activity and resilience against physical harm.

Zelos realized that balancing these two aspects was crucial. Someone who relied solely on magic without maintaining physical stamina risked becoming too detached from the physical realm, potentially becoming weaker and fragile. Conversely, someone with immense physical stamina but little magical ability might be incredibly resilient but lack the ability to influence or protect against spiritual or magical threats.

“Willpower is the most difficult parameter to improve and use, but it certainly can be useful if you want to fight your opponents in the best way possible. The downside is that you don’t get too attached to a random situation and get that adrenaline boost that people like you tend to enjoy in some moments.”

“On the other hand, I can always function as efficiently as I can be.”

“That is also true, wounded, not wounded, tired or not tired, you will always be able to do what you can normally do. Anyway, seeing you for several days has been rather troubling, so I don’t want to see you for a while. Get used to living normally as well once again.”

That was pretty blunt of Reina, but she had a point since she kept monitoring him for more than a month to make sure that he wouldn’t cheat. Zelos went to check Nightstorm, and he looked the same as always… a bit fatter, in fact. Someone has been spoiling while Zelos has been away.

“Let’s exercise for a while to make you shed some pounds.”

Nightstorm snorted and raised his eyebrows before looking to the side while throwing his mane elegantly. It almost felt like he had said: Bitch, I am fabulous. Zelos felt like he should have gotten a less expressive horse than that one.

Zelos felt like his body had gotten a bit stiffer than well, so he took some time walking around the camp without a clear goal. At that point in time, people were no longer looking at him with suspicious eyes. At the same time, he was able to feel that there was something different in them as well. It almost felt like he could see something enveloping them.

“Is it because I stayed attuned to the spiritual world for a while?”

Zelos noticed a subtle but significant change within himself. It felt like his instincts had been sharpened, and he found himself able to sense the magical aura of others with just a single glance. This newfound sensitivity allowed him to gauge the magic of those around him, distinguishing those with abundant magic pools from those with less.

He observed that individuals with high levels of magic seemed to possess a certain aura, a palpable presence that set them apart. Their connection to the spiritual world was evident in their very demeanor. These individuals carried themselves with calm confidence, a testament to their years of training and disciplined resolve.

In comparison, Zelos realized that many of these seasoned soldiers had far more magic than he did, only kids had less than him. Their extensive training and unwavering dedication had honed their abilities, deepening their connection to the spiritual realm.

Zelos understood that his journey was just beginning. While his instincts had improved, and he was becoming more attuned to the spiritual world, he still had a long way to go. He admired the seasoned soldiers not only for their power but also for their obvious high resolve and perhaps wisdom as well.

In any case, after resting for three days, Zelos returned to Reina’s office and noticed that he had quite a larger aura as well… even though she wasn’t supposed to be thirty years old, her aura was even more powerful than those who only had white hair in their heads… her traits probably helped her with that.

“This time around, we will test your resolve and patience as well. You aren’t allowed to leave this office for a month. At the same time, warriors of my camp will come to challenge you; they will be of all sizes and ages, and your job is to fight every single one of them.”

“You do look calm, but your training methods are far from it.”

“To be honest, I am breaking many customs of my people, and those who follow me don’t like it, even though they trust my leadership. I also don’t like breaking the rules that maintained our society for hundreds of years as well, so I won’t stop those who will come here reeking of bloodlust. Perhaps your trait will help you this time around, or perhaps you will finally die, and we won’t have to worry about this blunder in the future.”