In the Library of the Folan Magic and Martial Academy, only a few people lingered.
Lin En had spent three days here, scouring every basic book on magic on the first floor. What began with eager anticipation soon turned to deep disappointment.
He scoffed at the books’ mystical talk of “summoning elemental spirits” and “praying devoutly for divine blessings,” dismissing such idealistic notions with contempt.
Deciding not to waste more of his mental energy on reading, he sat down at a creaking wooden table in the corner and spread out a worn notebook.
The charcoal pencil scratched softly over the rough paper.
“Spirit Power is neither gas nor liquid; it may possess hidden structure…”
“Optimization of energy conversion pathways…minimum loss…”
“Runic element spatial symmetry…repeating lattice…”
A physicist’s mind raced, constructing cold formulas and complex geometric structures line by line.
To Lin En, the traditional Meditation methods used by mages were terribly inefficient.
“To cultivate Spirit Power through Meditation, storing it in the Sea of Consciousness, with the Sea as the pool and Spirit Power as water? Ridiculous!”
Lin En finally understood—this world’s mages practiced, stored, and utilized Spirit Power in a crude, simplistic way.
“Inefficient! There’s a slight delay when pumping Spirit Power—major flaws in reliability and reaction speed!”
He gripped the charcoal pencil, furiously calculating and sketching across blank pages.
Suddenly!
Inspiration struck like thunder!
“Metal! The densest structure in nature! Face-Centered Cubic Lattice and hexagonal close packing increase spatial utilization by 1474%! And each atom possesses 12 high-efficiency energy channels! Isotropy! Instantaneous transmission like a superconducting network!”
The pencil tip traced out a perfect diagram of a Face-Centered Cubic Lattice cell: eight vertices, six face centers, forming a supremely symmetrical, dense, and stable spatial network.
“If Spirit Power units are energy atoms, and the Sea of Consciousness is the lattice framework!”
Theoretical advantages roared in his mind:
Storage multiplies!
The dense structure of the Face-Centered Cubic Lattice means dozens of times the storage of an ordinary Sea of Consciousness.
And zero-delay usage!
Each Spirit Power node has 12 high-efficiency energy channels—wherever thought reaches, energy follows! No more pump delays!
A rigid lattice framework boosts interference resistance and anti-backlash capabilities by tens or even hundreds of times—truly solid as a rock! Energy transmission and storage efficiency have no weaknesses!
Of course, such a defiant structure was extremely difficult to achieve, requiring immense precision. A hair’s difference, and the lattice collapses, causing mental backlash!
***
In a secluded residence, Lin En sat cross-legged, breath nearly still.
Within the Sea of Consciousness, faint Spirit Power condensed forcefully, becoming a Spirit Power scalpel finer than spider silk.
He immersed his entire mind into the Sea of Consciousness, the blueprint already clear in his heart, calculating spatial coordinates with precision, and began to carve!
“Positioning… Vertex A… Face center B… Angle 109.47 degrees… Symmetry! Stability!”
The invisible scalpel trembled.
The Spirit Power thread snapped!
The structure twisted!
Agonizing pain stabbed his temples like red-hot steel needles!
Cold sweat instantly soaked his gray robe.
Failure!
Again!
The seventh time!
Tearing pain echoed through his Sea of Consciousness. Lin En clenched his teeth, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
“Again!”
Buzz!
A faint white radiance suddenly bloomed in a corner of the chaotic Sea of Consciousness!
A perfect Face-Centered Cubic Lattice, composed of several basic units, floated steadily like the first star born in a nebula!
“Inject!”
With a thought, scattered Spirit Power surged, instantly captured and locked in place by the lattice nodes!
The Crystal Core’s white light stabilized, unmoving!
“Release!”
With another thought, node energy surged out along 12 invisible channels!
Smooth! Swift! No lag!
Lin En’s eyes snapped open. Joy blazed across his exhausted face, his fingertips trembling with excitement.
“It worked! The storage and activation of Spirit Power—it’s a dimensional leap in quality!”
Using Spirit Power, Lin En surveyed his Sea of Consciousness, admiring his creation.
The perfect Face-Centered Cubic Lattice.
He decided to name it:
Crystal Core.
***
Within the high-level Trial Field shrouded by night, a heavy stone door sealed off the outside world.
After successfully constructing the Crystal Core, Lin En couldn’t wait to test his results.
He stood at the center. In his Sea of Consciousness, the grain-sized Crystal Core spun quietly, providing a surge of power and control far beyond the apprentice level.
Even the cold air seemed to ripple around him, warped by the invisible energy field.
Lin En drew a deep breath, pressing both hands into the air before him, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s.
The Crystal Core spun at high speed, and vast Spirit Power transformed into countless invisible tentacles, precisely penetrating the molecular layers of the air.
“Separate! Concentrate!”
His will was like a blade—oxygen in a vast area gathered and compressed by force!
His fingertips clenched inward! Rich-oxygen air was crushed by an invisible force, the temperature skyrocketing in a ten-thousandth of a second!
“Burn!”
Sssst!
There was no deafening explosion—only a fierce hiss as scorching heat tore through the air!
A blinding white pillar of fire, condensed and terrifyingly real, erupted silently!
The air burned, warping in twisting waves!
Boom!
Splat!
A triple-reinforced Obsidian Pillar, strong enough to withstand a full blow from a formal mage, was pierced instantly like butter!
The core zone turned into molten red lava, dripping onto the ground with a hiss and sending up clouds of white smoke!
This strike fused wind and flame magic, using wind to enrich the air’s oxygen and flame to guide destruction. Such a blow was at least at the level of a high-ranking Grand Mage.
With the Crystal Core constructed, Lin En could simultaneously output 12 streams of powerful Spirit Power—meaning he could cast 12 different spells at once!
Continue testing!
Next came a combination of wind and water magic.
Lin En’s gaze was icy with focus.
The Crystal Core’s monstrous control allowed magic to simulate extreme low temperatures and high pressure with precision.
“Phase transition! Liquefied Nitrogen State!”
Whoosh—!
Centered on him, a pale blue, nearly liquid wave of chill swept out like a polar storm!
Icy cold engulfed everything!
Wherever it passed, sturdy metal training dummies crackled, instantly coated with frost and shattered like fragile glass!
The hard ground froze beneath a thick layer of white-cold ice!
The entire Trial Field dropped to freezing—ice crystals condensed and drifted through the air!
Feeling the surging Spirit Power in his Sea of Consciousness, Lin En found it barely diminished.
He moved again, index and middle fingers pressed together like a sword, slashing through the air toward a steel target meters away!
Pushing Spirit Power control to the extreme!
Two raging air currents were instantly captured by invisible force, compressed, spiraled, and accelerated beyond the speed of sound!
Zzzzt!
A nearly inaudible, piercing shriek sliced the air!
The blade of wind was invisible!
On the steel target, two cuts several inches deep appeared—edges smooth as mirrors, so clear Lin En’s cold face was reflected in them! The cut surfaces glinted with metallic light, not a burr in sight!
***
In the depths of the Library, inside a secret chamber lined with eerie blue Crystal Balls.
Vice Principal Morton stood frozen like a statue before the largest sphere.
Within the orb, shifting light replayed three scenes of supernatural devastation from the Trial Field: molten pillars, frozen domains, mirrored cuts.
His aged fingers clutched the edge of his robe, knuckles white from the force.
In the depths of his cloudy eyes, all calm was shattered—giant waves of shock churned!
“That Spirit Power—so deep, so stable, so condensed! Instant eruption! How is this possible?!”
Morton’s voice was dry and hoarse, trembling to the core.
“This isn’t analytic magic… This is…”
He drew a deep breath, as if suppressing the storm within.
Word by word, he declared:
“Reconstruction! He is reconstructing the foundation of magical power! This child… walks the path of defiance!”
***
Lin En silently left the Trial Field, leaving behind chaos and freezing air.
A supervising instructor stumbled in, staring at the scorched lava, shattered metal, icy frost, and mirror-like cuts. His face turned deathly pale, lips trembling.
“God… Which high-ranking Grand Mage lost control of an experiment here?! Or… has a monster descended?!”
***
Bang!
A crude wooden bed creaked under the strain.
Brook jolted awake from a nightmare, bloodshot eyes wide, chest heaving like a broken bellows.
Cold sweat soaked his thin vest, sticky against muscles crisscrossed with fresh and old scars.
In his mind, the scene of defeat in the warehouse clung like a maggot, impossible to shake off:
Blinding fire devoured everything!
A suffocating storm smashed his proud strength before he could react, flinging him aside!
The cold, hard floor slammed into his bones, crushing the last shred of his dignity!
When his companions carried him, their disdain barely concealed:
“Tch, beaten to this state by a piece of trash…”
Young Master Kain’s cold eyes swept over him like garbage.
“Useless thing!”
“Urgh—!”
A low growl of rage and humiliation tore from Brook’s throat. His massive fist slammed the bed, making it crack!
Splinters flew.
Trash! He had become a stepping stone for a piece of trash!
He, Brook—the “Anvil” forged by iron fists in the slums—had finally climbed high in the Eli Family, so close to a good life… Only for it all to be ruined by that bastard Lin En!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In the training ground’s corner, heavy blows echoed like muffled thunder.
Brook, bare-chested and muscular, sweat and bruises mixing on bronzed skin, raged at the iron-plated training dummy like a maddened Raging Bull.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Each punch was full force, his fists already torn and bloody.
He felt no pain—or rather, physical agony was nothing compared to the humiliation in his soul.
In his eyes, a hysterical fire burned, ready to consume everything.
“Not enough! Still not enough!!”
Brook growled between clenched teeth as he struck again and again.
“Strength! I need more strength! Enough to crush that bastard Lin En!”
Only one thought remained:
On the arena, in front of everyone, to smash Lin En into the ground—using his screams and breaking bones to wash away shame!
To show Young Master Kain and all who mocked him who the true Anvil was!
It was the only way he could think to reclaim everything!
***
After training, Brook dragged his nearly exhausted body—not back to the dorm, but straight to the Academy’s most chaotic and shadowy district—Liquor Street.
The air reeked of cheap ale and rusty metal.
He pushed open a nondescript wooden door. Inside, smoke swirled, and rough mercenaries and adventurers filled the room.
Brook ignored hostile stares and went straight to the bar’s corner, where an old mercenary with a scarred face and a missing ear sat.
The old man polished a dagger with his lone eye, gaze like a vulture.
“The strongest. Something that boosts strength in the short term—no matter the cost.”
Brook’s voice was hoarse and urgent, brooking no refusal.
He slapped a few sweat- and blood-stained silver coins onto the greasy counter—almost all his savings.
The old mercenary glanced up, eyeing Brook’s powerful yet battered body.
He grinned, showing yellowed teeth, and silently laughed.
From his pocket, he pulled a small pouch, shaking out three pills the size of dragon’s eyes—dark red as coagulated blood, reeking of sulfur and rust.
“Mad Bull Pill.”
The old mercenary’s voice rasped like sandpaper.
“Used by those crazed miners in the Blackstone Mountains. One pill, and your strength goes wild like a rutting rhino! But the cost…”
He chuckled, a cruel light in his eye.
“…Afterwards, your bones feel crushed and rebuilt, your muscles torn and sewn up. Three days of agony is lucky. If you’re unlucky, your foundation is ruined. Three pills? Enough to kill you three times.”
Brook’s gaze locked on the three ominous pills.
Agony?
Ruin?
Death?
Such words sparked no ripple in his shame and rage-numbed mind.
All he wanted was the power to smash Lin En!
“Give them to me!”
Brook snarled, snatching the pouch and crushing it in his palm, knuckles white with force.
The pills’ hard, icy touch was like grasping an invitation from hell.
***
Back in the sweat- and blood-stained dorm, Brook sat on the broken bed.
In the dim light, he opened his hand. Three blood-red Mad Bull Pills lay in his palm.
Future?
Dignity?
Against absolute humiliation, these were nothing!
If he couldn’t stomp Lin En into the ground, he’d be the Academy’s greatest joke!
“Strength… As long as I can crush you, I’ll pay any price!”
No hesitation remained—only mad, destructive desire.
Brook seized a pill and shoved it into his mouth, biting down hard!
A burning blend of sulfur, rust, and blood exploded in his mouth, racing to his head!
Then—
BOOM!!!
A wild, indescribable heat—like every muscle, bone, and tendon was being torn apart and reforged—erupted from his gut, flooding his entire body!
Muscles bulged, twisted, and swelled. Veins writhed like giant serpents beneath his skin.
Power erupted like a volcano, drowning all fatigue.
But pain followed—like ten thousand steel knives ripping, crushing, and pounding inside him!
A guttural roar tore from his throat. His eyes turned bloodshot; veins on forehead and neck bulged like tree roots. Sweat and saliva dripped uncontrollably!
That bone-deep, soul-tearing agony twisted his face into a hideous grin—ecstasy in suffering.
Feeling the overwhelming, destructive strength in his body, Brook bared his teeth in a ghastly, hellish smile.
“Lin En……!!”
“Wait… On the arena, I’ll smash every bone in your body into the damned floor! Let everyone see… who the real trash is!”
He clenched the remaining two pills, as if grasping the key to destruction and revenge.
The “Anvil”—once a low-born warrior who longed for nobility—had sacrificed himself to the abyss of raging power, becoming a weapon forged for destruction and veined with cracks.
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