Preparations Pt2

After an hour of simply meditating without taking from the mana in the area, since my body could take in much more than the others with my higher level technique, the other players were finally tired of scraping themselves raw with salt.

However, their woes were far from over. After a brief census I found that they had all acquired Loose Cultivator titles and developed their own basic physiques that increased PDEF by quite a bit even without their armor on. Now, though, it was time to move on to 'resistance training'.

After having both sides of the wall cover themselves up a bit more, I started with the basics of the elements and created two ten square foot areas of Firebolt and Frostbite with as little mana fueling them as possible. The point here was literally to transition between the two extremes of temperature and elements, soaking in the heat of flames before freezing on ice.

Nobody was happy with having to do these exercises despite the fact that they were technically becoming stronger. I had already asked Melpomene and not only did these practices fit with the theme of lower level class training techniques but also the proper techniques for the different classes could stack with them. However, these players lacked enthusiasm.

So, after giving them a little while to rest and recover from achieving Initial Success in their salting I more or less forced them into taking part in the next stage of this exercise. The results in the beginning were nonexistent to say the least. The only product of walking through the fire or the ice was a drop in health.

At first. After making a few rounds through either 'field', though, even I could see that they started taking one or two percent less damage from my technical attacks. This showed that the resistance training was actually having some effect. However, my fire and ice were all at the lowest output I could manage so their defenses to them were not exactly climbing very high.

Eventually, though, the players of the other clans started taking no damage at all after walking through either my fire or ice which showed that their defenses had climbed to a point that was actually beneficial. Now, though, it was time to increase the damage output so that their resistances would continue rising. It would be a while before they even started on resisting the other elements.

The previous ten minutes soon became half an hour before it was time to take a break in their training. Less because of their unwillingness to continue- which they really did not want to continue- but more because I was running out of mana. With my lessening stockpile of food and potions I could not simply perpetuate the exercise like I usually do.

Ten minutes later when my near five thousand MP were refilled, though, the training picked up once again at an even higher output than before. The players quickly noticed the difference. Whereas they were supposed to force themselves to only walk through the small fields of fire or ice they now had no choice but to run or jog.

In this way it was also easier to track their progress. With the increase in the resistances the pain and damage from the elements would be lowered so as they started slowing down in their passage from one element to another it showed their resistances were rising as much as the lessening of the damage they received.

When I finally ran out of mana for the second time I decided these guys were ready for the next element, allowing them as much time as it took my mana to refill as their break period. Once my mana was back in action so were they, gathering into a single large group. In this position it was easier to maintain a single element at a time, this one being electricity.

To train their lightning resistance I first created a shallow hole a few inches deep, just enough to submerge their ankles in, before filling the shallow pool with Splash and then channeling St. Elmo's Fire into the water. The goal here was to stay in the water for as long as possible, resisting both the pain and the paralyzing effect of electrical currents for as long as possible.

Few people could actually get into the water in the beginning, only managing to place a single foot in the shallow pool for a moment before jerking away. As they were forced to endure this again and again, though, they eventually got to the point where they could keep a single foot in the water. Of course, this would only provide the most minimal pain tolerance buff without sustained exposure to the electricity.

As time wore on, though, the players from the other clans started toughening up and braving my St. Elmo's Fire by fully standing in the pool. At first this would only last for two or three seconds before jumping out but eventually a few people managed to remain in the water for five or so seconds at a time. After the first people began 'resisting' the electricity to a noticeable extent then the others started putting forth more effort.

Eventually it became competitive and everybody started jumping into the water to see how long they could last. By the time this point came around, though, I was already running low on mana once again. It was honestly a little upsetting, having finally gotten these people to really try at lightning resistance only for my mana to start running out.

In just a few minutes' time my mana ran out and I could no longer torture the other players even though they had just started lasting for ten seconds while moving almost normally in the shallow pool. Using the amount of time they spent in the water as an estimate, though, I could roughly guess that they actually accumulated around ten percent resistance to electricity.

Even though this sounded like a small amount the effort and results were anything but tiny. Since the other elements were much less direct than fire, ice, and lightning I did not know how to properly train their resistances.

Should I hit them with dozens of Air Cannon spells until they stopped getting knocked back? Would trapping them with Quick Quake again and again develop an earth resistance? Could using Splash on these guys have any effect at all besides making them wet?

With these thoughts in mind, I decided to simply spend the next three hours dedicating each hour to its own element of fire, ice, or lightning.

Since the players had already developed resistances to my elemental skills I had no choice but to continue increasing the output, draining my mana faster to sustain greater affect. As well, since the players had naturally developed resistances to this point it took longer and longer for them to acclimate to the conditions I created. So, after those three hours I decided it was time to move on to the main course.

This, though, was not something that I wanted to do again and again like the other elements. Even though I was sure that it would have great affect on the players, it was not something I wanted the other clans to have such access to as well. If I was right, it would be numerous times more effective than the salting gimmick.

Leaving the players from the alliance to rest, I quickly flew off to the reincarnation pool at the back of the cathedral where my companions and the elites of the other clans had been meditating. After a few moments of studying their seated efforts I could clearly see that everyone was soaking up the divine mana of the area as well as breathing it in.

I had warned them that doing so could be dangerous due to interruptions but they had also been left alone for almost five hours to do as they pleased. So, after doing some quick math I decided that they had at least achieved the Initial Success of Mana Condensing and then some. My own team was probably most of the way through the second stage of Mana Condensing since they had been practicing the technique for longer.

Because my own Mana Condensing had evolved into Mana Assimilation, though, I had no idea what their second stage progress would be like or if they were able to trigger the Demigod or Chaos Fiend branches of the practice. More than likely those two branch skills were specific to my Mana Assimilation and they would not be able to enjoy their benefits.

Clearing my throat loudly, I bring my fingers to my lips and channel the base five MP into my Whistle skill that deafens the surrounding area with a shrill noise. In unison, the people in the pond began crying out and rolling about in pain from having their cultivation disturbed. Watching this, I simply laugh and say, "I warned you guys about what would happen!"

As expected it would several minutes before any of them were even capable of giving me dirty looks thanks to the pain they were in from the loss of cultivation progress.

Once they were able to move about freely, I simply ignored their swears and glares by clapping my hands together and saying, "Alright, everybody, its time to train your physiques! I'm sure you've made lots of progress in your training already so there's no reason to be upset. Just consider that as a safe experience for all the things that can go wrong. The further you get in your so-called cultivation, the worse such repercussions will be. Now, follow me!"

Turning around without checking to see if anyone was following me, I simply turn around and start walking back toward the cathedral. After a few moments of focusing on my hearing I could clearly tell the others were now on their feet and following behind me. As well, I could hear numerous complaints and oaths that the favor would one day be returned.

Hearing this was actually kind of funny to me since I was so much stronger than the rest of them. If they ever actually challenged me all I would have to do is slap them around a few times and they would learn their lessons. Sadly, I could not simply use my brute force to teach them manners without their taking action first.

Then I really would be a bully!

Gathering together all of the players in the raid dungeon at the front of the cathedral, I announce, "Everybody, I have gathered you all here to further train your defenses against one of the most powerful elements and spells currently in my arsenal. After this I will no longer offer those outside my clan this treatment so I hope you all make use of this to the best of your abilities. If you slack off you only have yourselves to blame for cheating yourself out of a very valuable opportunity!"

Nobody had anything to actually say to this even though there were some quiet murmurings to their friends and neighbors in the small crowd. I might have sounded like an asshole but I was being completely honest with them. Allowing themselves to miss out on this opportunity would only hurt themselves so they needed to take this seriously.

After letting my words sink in for a few moments, I perch on the no longer necessary dividing wall the regular clan players were using for privacy earlier before starting some basic breathing exercises. Once I started taking in mana I quickly channeled it into my personal Soulfire which was quickly spread out over the ground.

Once the bright white flames appeared I could see worry on the faces of the other players. Most of them had already endured a hellacious amount of my fire resistance training and that was with normal flames. Now, there was white fire in their faces and that was supposed to be the color of the hottest flames.

However, unlike regular magic fire this Soulfire caused physical attack damage rather than actual fire damage. In this way they should be training their natural PDEF, Endurance, and Willpower much more than by resisting the usual elements. If I was right, the effects should be numerous times greater than salting themselves.

At first there was nobody willing to brave the Soulfire covering ten square yards of ground between them and I. They simply stood there and stared into the flames as if wondering what they did to deserve something like this. There were many of them who continually turned their gazes toward me with uncomplimentary expressions before quickly looking away.

Silence reigned over the small crowd for a long time as people debated with themselves whether or not they should take part in this aspect of the resistance training. One minute of nobody taking action quickly became two, then three, and then five before someone finally made a move.

Go, my most loyal companion, was the first to brave my training. "Only one way through it and that's to do it," he announces loudly before stepping out into the knee-high white flames. Almost as soon as he was standing in the flames his body went stiffly rigid and his hands curled into fists.

Little more than three seconds later after standing in the flames, Go's head was thrown back and a mighty orcish roar was loosed into the air to express the raw agony that he found himself in. Then he was jumping out of the fire and on his hands and knees while half of his health was simply gone. The looks on the faces of those gathered were as easy to read as a book.

Fear. Most of them already knew how horrible my resistance training was and knew that nothing but pain awaited them. However, only Go seemed to realize that without pain there was no gain.

Moments later, the potentially youngest players in the dungeons mustered up their courage and braved the flames. Conan and Lil did not even manage to spend a full three seconds in the fire before they threw themselves to the ground outside with tears in their eyes and choking cries. Seeing this was honestly painful but I could only blind myself to their pain.

Everybody gathered around could already tell this training method was at least ten times as harsh as the previous exercises, making it harder and harder for them to work up their courage.

After another moment or two, more and more of my own party began facing the flames and stepping in. Their howls of existential crisis filled the air one after another, causing the other players to begin sweating or even start going weak at the knees. Still. One by one, my team continued facing the Soulfire as their health filled back up.

Seeing that only my people were taking this seriously, I narrow my gaze and channel a small amount of mana into my voice so that my whisper becomes a thunderous hiss in their ears. "I'm giving you the choice to do this willingly," I say softly with a deafening volume. "Don't make me take that choice away from you."

*