Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion (Book 2) - Chapter 6 - Core Strength (Patreon)

Xavier sat, cross-legged on the cold stone floor of the battlements. He could have applied the 20 free stat points the second he’d levelled up, but he wanted to be able to focus on the shift he felt.

With a smile, Xavier placed all the points into his Spirit attribute.

Spirit increased from 493 → 518!

Something shifted within his mind. No, within his very soul. An awareness came over him that was like nothing he had ever felt before. The auras of all the soldiers around him on the wall, and that of the waves and waves of the Endless horde beyond it, felt more… solidthan a moment ago, as though his Aura-Sight had suddenly become five times stronger.

He leant backward where he sat, taking in everything he felt.

It wasn’t just what he could sense outside of himself—it was what he could sense withinhimself. He fell into a deep meditation in less than a second. Observing his Spirit Core was as easy as looking down at his own hand. Seeing the Spirit Energy swirling around it, and the lines in which that energy flowed into his core… it was as clear as day.

So I guess there is a 500-point threshold for attributes.

He felt more open minded and in touch with the Greater Universe than he had thought possible, instantly knowing that insights would come to him more easily now. He plucked at the Spirit Energy within his core, once more trying to bring it out, to finally begin cycling it. At first, nothing happened—just like every other time he had tried. Then it was like instinct took over. Like he was being guided toward the correct action.

By the Greater Universe itself?

This time, Xavier did not yank the Spirit Energy from his core. Instead, he slowly tried to coax it free. He didn’t push his will onto the energy, merely redirected it. Though this didn’t work, a knowledge entered his mind as he attempted it, showing him something that should have been obvious before: Spirit Energy wanted to be free. His core attracted Spirit Energy like a bug zapper attracted insects. It had an unnatural pull, drawing it into himself. That pull increased the stronger Xavier’s Spirit attribute became. As he focused, he could even feelthat pull, despite the fact that his reserve was completely full.

His next action became abundantly clear. He couldn’t yank the Spirit Energy, because it was trapped within him, but there was something else he could do. Eyes still closed, locked in a deep meditation, Xavier cast Spiritual Trifecta on himself. He kept close attention on his Spirit Core as he did. In his mind’s eye it was like a bright silver orb of light. When the spell was cast, a small amount of Spirit Energy flooded out of it—as though a valve had been opened then shut.

A valve… the Spirit Energy wants to be free. All I need to do is open my core.

Xavier pursed his lips in thought. This wasn’t what Karlon had told him, but Karlon had also told him that a Denizen’s core felt… differentfor everyone, and so the mechanism in which one used to pull Spirit Energy from their core was always unique. A fact that Xavier couldn’t help but find frustrating.

Still, there was promise to his idea. But the last time he’d done something like this, he’d almost burned through his core. When he thought about what the worst thing to happen could be—losing all of his Spirit Energy, then his health, then dying—he knew he would need to be careful.

Open my core… yeah, that sounds like a great idea.

Xavier stopped himself from biting his lip. He supposed he shouldn’t be too worried. There was every chance that whatever he tried right now wouldn’t even work. If opening his core was something that was dangerous, maybe it wouldn’t be possible.

Wishful thinking.

Either way, he had to try. And he was sick of wasting precious time thinking about it.

Turning thoughts to action, Xavier tried to claw open a very small surface area of his Spirit Core with his mind. He assumed this would give him the same outcome of every other one of his attempts so far. That nothing at all would happen. And that if it was to work, it certainly wouldn’t work the first time that he tried.

What he hadn’t expected was for it to work instantly.

Xavier’s Spirit Core opened a crack—as though he’d stabbed a chicken egg with a needle. Spirit Energy flowed out of it at a rate of 100 units per second. Though that sounded like a fast rate, Xavier’s full reserve was currently 48,000. Even after the spell he’d just cast, it would take over seven and a half minutes for all his Spirit Energy to deplete itself.

Though that 100 units per second rate was after his Spirit Energy recovery, as he wasn’t gaining any of the Spirit Energy back.

The Spirit Energy flooded back out through the energy lines in his body, flowing away from his core. He knew where it wished to go—straight out of him—but he wasn’t going to let it. Perhaps he should have attempted to close the small crack he’d created in his core before attempting to cycle the Spirit Energy, but it felt as though he’d been waiting a long time to figure this out.

Releasing a long breath, Xavier tried to take control of the Spirit Energy. Tried to drag it back into his core. He spent a full two minutes doing this without any luck. His core should have attracted the energy straight back to it, but that pull that he’d felt before was gone. As though the moment he’d cracked open his core, it simply lost the ability to naturally recover Spirit Energy.

That’s not good, Xavier thought. But I’m sure it’s only temporary.

Xavier kept breathing deeply. The longer he was unable to restore his Spirit Energy, the more his panic was beginning to set in. Four minutes had passed now, and still the energy was flowing out of his core. It had seeped out of him and was now drifting into the air—he felt it out there, like wisps of smoke wafting off a fire, or hot sweat on skin turning to steam.

Be calm, he told himself. Focus. Stop fighting the energy.

The crack in his core still open, now two thirds of his reserve gone, Xavier turned his attention to the lines in which the energy flowed. Perhaps it wasn’t the energy itself that he needed to control, rather the conduits in which it moved through.

I just need to… change the direction…

His whole mind put itself toward this task. There were people speaking to him, people he was only vaguely aware of. He couldn’t pull his focus from what he was doing. It reminded him of the time his core had burned straight through all of his Spirit Energy and he’d collapsed onto the floor of the tavern, unconscious. But he wasn’t going to let something like that happen again.

He couldn’tlet something like that happen again. There was simply too much at stake for him to make such mistakes.

For a moment, his mind turned away from the task at hand, drifting to his worries and fears. He thought of his mother. She hadn’t been on his mind near as much as he’d expected she would be, which only made him feel more guilty. He thought of what she must be going through—what billionsof people on Earth must be going through.

Those who were still alive.

He thought of those damned goblins that had attacked him at the university. He knew there would be more like that. Knew there would be all types of different races stepping out of portals and attacking the people of Earth. His people. That this was something normal in the Greater Universe. That the only way to fight it was to be strong.

And so Xavier had to be strong.

I cannot fail.

Someone grabbed his shoulder and shook him. Xavier slapped the hand away. Somewhere in his consciousness he registered a harsh snappingsound and a sharp hiss. He didn’t pay it any mind. He couldn’t. His core was too open. Parts of his mind screamed at him to close it—to stop this madness. That he was forcing this—pushing himself too hard.

He ignored the voices. Pushed on.

When the last wisp of Spirit Energy was almost free of his core something clicked. He was able to nudge some of the Spirit Energy, changing the flow of one of lines back inward toward his core.

He turned his focus to his available Spirit Energy.

300/48,000

200/48,000

100/48,000

…

200/48,000

500/48,000

1,000/48,000

Xavier blinked as the number increased rapidly. The Spirit Energy that still flowed through his lines was turning around, entering back into his core. The more he did it, the easier it became. He felt himself straighten up where he sat. He hadn’t even realised that his back had curved and his shoulders had sagged. Didn’t realise that his entire body was stiff. Head splitting in pain from the sheer concentration he’d been putting toward this one task.

More minutes passed. The voices that had spoken before had grown quite. No one tried to grab him again. All the while his eyes remained closed. Spirit Energy flowed out of his core. It spread outward to his extremities. Spread up through his chest, to his neck, to his head. Then it came back around, constantly circling around the lines until it did a full circuit and went back to his core.

Again and again he did this, feeling the energy flow around him as though it was the most natural thing in the world. The pain in his head cleared, as did the stiffness in his body. His back was straight, shoulders no longer sagging.

The notification came to him at the same time as the war drums began their insistent beat, once more signalling the immanency of the next wave.

Skill Quest Complete!

You unlocked and learned the skill Core Strength!

Core Strength – Rank 1

You are a student of the Greater Universe. Your knowledge is but a seed deep in damp earth, but soon it will grow roots and break up through the surface of the ground.

May your knowledge of the Greater Universe blossom.

+5% Aura Strength.

+20% Spirit Energy recovery.

+10% Spirit.

Xavier smiled as he released a long breath. Progress.

The +10% to his Spirit was felt immediately, instantly adding over 40 points to his effective total. When he looked up, he noticed the queen, arms folded at her chest, peering down at him with clear disapproval in her eyes.

“You broke my adviser’s arm.”

Xavier winced. He looked over at Karlon. “Sorry.”

The man shrugged, shook his head. “It is already healed.” His gaze narrowed. “I am not sure what it is you just did, but I am very curious.”

“The fifth wave is on its way,” Queen Alastea said, her voice sharp. “I am glad you came to before it charged.”

Xavier smirked. He cast Spiritual Trifecta upon himself and infused Spirit into his staff. But he did not stand. Instead, he took a deep breath, then packed all 320 souls that he was now able to contain into a single Soul Strike.

Bolts of lightning shot forth from him in every single direction, sailing in wide arcs toward the enemies in the oncoming wave. He couldn’t see the apparitions from here, but he could feelthem. He felt the souls as they sprang forth, materialising into fierce Denizens and beasts that utterly destroyed the wave.

The war drums ceased.

The horns stopped blaring.

The howls and shouts disappeared to nothing.

The fifth wave of the fifth floor of the Tower of Champions had been cleared in a single spell.

Xavier turned to Adviser Karlon. “Now, teach me how to cultivate Celestial Energy. And… tell me what it is?”