Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 63: Training and adjustments

And so we did. The first two days were dedicated to physical exercises and meditation, the first to adjust to the strength of our new bodies and the second to determine how long it would take to refill our reserves.

Both would be extremely important during and for planning a fight.

Slya and Tiber had reserves comparable to an average Knight, so a few hours of meditation or overnight sleep would restore them. I, however, required the entire two days. Despite this, I could outlast both of them combined, and their two essences together didn’t match the strength of my own reserve. The energy I could use was just that far above the average.

Taiwo joined us occasionally, her surprise at the advancement of the other two causing Slya to laugh so hard she rolled on the ground.

The potion that suppressed our hunger began to wear off, and by the third day of training, we started considering hunting monsters, and by the end of that day, we actually did.

The first thing I taught them was how to control their essence and use it to form condensed weapon of essence. However, the average Knight could only focus on their techniques, as their limited essence made weapon creation impractical.

This limitation surprised me, as I had assumed cores grew larger as one advanced. While that was true, techniques also became more complex and demanding, prompting Knights to prioritize them over shaping essence into weapons.

This, of course, didn’t apply to me.

Even so, and though I knew it now, I still demonstrated essence control, emphasizing it as the foundation of perfecting any technique, skilled Knights were meant to focus on during their Squire rank.

The remainder of the week was spent on the theory of technique creation, on the ’how’ and ’why’.

The first step was Creation.

This foundational step involved transforming essence from the Knight’s core into their specific aspect or attuned magic. Part of this process was learning to extract it from the core and project it into the world. Knights used this magic to create water, control the earth, summon wind, or conjure fire. Creation had to occur immediately upon releasing essence from the body, it had to be automatic.

The second step was Control.

After creating the desired type of magic, Knights needed to shape and direct it. This step emphasized precision, range, and efficiency, ensuring they didn’t waste energy or lose control during battle. Mastery in this area required meditation and rigorous practice.

The third and most critical step was Enhancement.

This step distinguished ordinary magic from true techniques. Enhancement involved refining and expanding the base creation into something far more potent. While anyone could summon lightning, only a master could create a chain of lightning that leaped from one target to another. Similarly, while most could conjure water, few could mold it into precise tendrils or extract it from a human body.

Enhancement was a highly guarded secret, often sold at exorbitant prices. Techniques relied on chants, incantations, or formations, mental constructs powered by essence to produce effects in the real world.

The final step combined all three elements. Knowing when and how to create, control, and enhance was key to crafting a perfect technique.

The second week was dedicated to learning actual techniques, which introduced new challenges that I encountered early.

"How do you hold an image in your mind? How... does that even work?" Slya asked, baffled. She glared at the book in front of her as if it might rise up and attack her.

Tiber rumbled in amusement. We were sitting cross-legged with the book between us. "It’s easy. Just look at it for a while, and you’ll see it."

Slya snorted. "This just proves you’re smarter than me and nothing else because I can’t grasp this!"

I glanced at the image we were studying. It consisted of interlocking shapes with a single word in the center. By memorizing the formation and holding it in the mind, one could direct their essence through it to create a technique.

’I agree with her; this is hard. But I won’t admit it out loud. I must build the image of a profound leader... something like that. Or maybe I just don’t want to admit it because Tiber got it so easily... No, that’s not it. I’m sure I’ll get it too!’

I tapped the floor. "Let me teach you a trick. Don’t try to take it all in at once. Memorize it part by part and focus on how each section connects. That way, you can bring it together when you’re fighting.

"Don’t forget your formation when you need it most. And Tiber only got it so easily because his mind is now enhanced by his Nightmare powers. Maybe you’ll also benefit from your Shadowforge Creation, Slya."

My eyes twitched as I said that. ’That Nightmare power should have been mine! It would’ve made learning formations easy! I’m really going to make those two work hard for the powers I gave them!’

I cleared my mind of distractions. "Be glad you only need to learn for one essence. I have to memorize formation techniques for all my essences." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Slya shot me a half-glare. "And that’s why you’re the boss. Why are you even bothering to learn techniques? You could just flood the battlefield with fire and burn your enemies to ash."

For a moment, I was tempted to do just that. Then I remembered: ’What happens when I face someone with more essence? Or someone who can block my power or drain it from the air?’

I took a deep breath and replied calmly, "You’re underestimating the world of Knights, Slya. Have you already forgotten the fight between Arvas and Kren?"

I didn’t give her a chance to respond. "Let’s continue learning. And Tiber, find a stick and rewrite the technique on the ground. Make sure you truly understand it."

I hid a smirk. ’I think I’m going to enjoy being a leader’