Chapter 10: The Path to Mastery
As the heavy door to the **Adventurer's Guild** closed behind him, Karma's mind was already racing. The revelation about the red-eyed ogres still echoed in his thoughts, but he forced himself to focus. Maria had promised to investigate the mystery further, and while he waited for answers, there was something else he needed to do—he needed to get stronger.
The battle with the ogres had pushed his body to its limits, and even though he had come out victorious, it was clear that three minutes of **Synchronization** wasn't enough. His goal was to master using both **Skill Share** and **Synchronization** at the same time, to extend his combat abilities and become a force to be reckoned with.
"I have to push past these limits," Karma muttered to himself, clenching his fists as he walked toward the outskirts of town, the sun setting behind him in a wash of orange and red.
He had no time to waste.
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**Day 1: Setting the Foundation**
Karma reached the outskirts of the town, finding a secluded clearing near the edge of the forest where no one would disturb him. The soft rustle of leaves in the breeze and the distant calls of birds were the only sounds around him. It was the perfect place to train.
He let **Shiro** and **Kuro** out of their miniaturized forms, watching as they returned to their full sizes. Shiro immediately bounced around the clearing, full of energy, while Kuro trotted over to Karma's side, sitting obediently.
"All right," Karma said, taking a deep breath. "The goal is to use both **Skill Share** and **Synchronization** at the same time, but I need to build up my stamina first."
The first step was simple: **casting both spells individually**. He had mastered using them separately, but the moment he tried to use them together, the mana drain and physical toll became too much.
He began by casting **Skill Share** with Kuro, borrowing the fox's **High Endurance**. A soft glow enveloped him as the spell took effect, and Karma could immediately feel his body become more resistant to fatigue. His muscles felt lighter, stronger. But this was just the first step.
Without wasting time, Karma turned to Shiro and initiated **Synchronization**. His body tensed as the familiar energy surged through him—his ears elongated into rabbit-like ears, his senses sharpened, and his agility spiked.
For a moment, everything felt perfect. His body moved with speed and precision, his muscles burning with energy. But then, the strain hit him like a punch to the gut.
His legs wobbled, and his breath came in short gasps. The combination of using both spells at once sent a wave of fatigue through him that he hadn't expected. His synchronization with Shiro began to falter, and he quickly canceled both spells before he collapsed to the ground.
He knelt on the ground, panting. "It's harder than I thought," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Karma knew this wouldn't be easy, but he wasn't going to give up after one failed attempt. This was just the beginning.
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**Week 1: Pushing Through the Pain**
Over the next week, Karma devoted himself to intense training, spending every daylight hour honing his skills. The first few days were grueling, his body struggling to adapt to the dual spellcasting. Each attempt left him breathless, his muscles aching from the strain of using two high-level taming spells simultaneously.
To overcome this, Karma focused on building his physical endurance first. He started every day with sprints through the forest, leaping between trees with Shiro's agility and speed. The dense forest forced him to sharpen his reflexes, dodging branches and roots with precision. He would synchronize with Shiro for as long as his body could handle, pushing himself a little further each time before collapsing in exhaustion.
Every time his synchronization broke, he would immediately switch to **Skill Share** with Kuro, allowing his body to recover faster through the fox's high endurance ability. The process was brutal—his muscles screamed in pain, his lungs burned with every breath—but each day, he lasted a little longer.
By the fourth day, Karma was able to maintain **Synchronization** with Shiro for almost **four minutes**, a significant improvement. His movements were faster, more fluid, and his attacks with his sword became blurs of speed as he cut through the air with deadly precision.
He wasn't done yet.
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**Week 2: Mastering Dual Spells**
By the start of the second week, Karma began pushing the real test: using **Skill Share** and **Synchronization** together for extended periods of time. His stamina had improved, but it was still far from enough. His body still struggled to hold both spells at once.
Every morning, Karma would wake up with aching muscles, but the pain only fueled his determination. He would synchronize with Shiro, feeling his body change as the rabbit's agility and reflexes flowed through him. Then, with the synchronization active, he would cast **Skill Share** with Kuro, borrowing the fox's endurance.
The moment the second spell took effect, his body would seize up, struggling to handle the dual mana flow. His muscles would tighten painfully, and his mind would grow hazy as the strain threatened to overwhelm him.
But each day, Karma pushed through the pain.
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**Week 3: Breaking the Limit**
By the third week, Karma was no longer just holding the spells for a few minutes—he was fighting against his own body to make those moments count. He trained for hours every day, learning to cast both spells with more efficiency, making the transitions smoother, and reducing the mana drain.
He began to notice changes. His mana control was improving, and his body had become more resistant to the strain. Where before he had to cancel the spells after four minutes, he could now hold them for **six minutes**, pushing toward his goal of eight.
But the final test was still ahead.
Karma stood in the clearing on the final day of his training, both Shiro and Kuro at his side. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground.
"All right," Karma said, his voice steady. "This is it. Today, I'm going to hold both spells for eight minutes."
He took a deep breath, centering himself. His heart pounded with anticipation as he cast **Skill Share** with Kuro, feeling the familiar surge of endurance flood through his veins. His muscles relaxed, his body felt stronger, more durable.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he synchronized with Shiro.
The effect was immediate. His body transformed, his rabbit-like ears twitching as his senses sharpened to an almost painful degree. The world slowed around him as his speed and reflexes increased exponentially.
For the first few minutes, everything went smoothly. He dashed between trees, his sword slashing through the air in blinding arcs. His body moved with a grace and speed he had never experienced before.
But then the strain hit him like a tidal wave. His muscles screamed in protest, and his breath grew labored. His legs wobbled as if they were made of stone, but Karma didn't stop. He pushed forward, clenching his teeth as the pain spread through his body.
Five minutes passed. His vision blurred.
Six minutes. His limbs felt heavy, his mana reserves draining rapidly.
Seven minutes. Every second felt like an eternity, but Karma held on, refusing to give in to the overwhelming fatigue.
As the eighth minute approached, Karma felt the spells slipping from his control. His body was on the verge of collapse, but he summoned every ounce of willpower he had left and forced himself to maintain both spells.
Finally, the timer in his head ticked past the **eight-minute mark**.
With a gasp, Karma released both spells, collapsing to the ground as the mana drained from his body. He lay there, panting, his muscles trembling from the exertion. Shiro and Kuro rushed to his side, nuzzling him in concern.
But Karma smiled through the exhaustion.
He had done it.
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**To be continued…**
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**Author's Notes:**
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed **Chapter 10: The Path to Mastery**! This chapter was all about Karma pushing past his limits and learning to master using two taming spells at once. I really wanted to focus on the physical and mental toll that this kind of training would take on him, and show that it's not just about raw power—it's about endurance, control, and perseverance.
- **Skill Share + Synchronization:** Karma's decision to combine these two spells was risky, but it's going to pay off in the long run. Being able to extend his synchronization time gives him a huge edge in battle, but as we saw, it took weeks of intense training to reach that point. His growth isn't instant, and I wanted to reflect that in his journey.
- **The Importance of Endurance:** I loved writing the contrast between Shiro's agility and Kuro's endurance, and how Karma has to balance both. This chapter was about learning that strength isn't just about power—it's about knowing how to manage your abilities in the long term.
I hope you all enjoyed the intense training focus of this chapter! Let me know what you think, and thanks again for reading! See you in the next chapter!