5 Percent

As Will meditated, his mind grappled with the complexities of the Frozen Asgard Arts. He weaved together the experiences he had endured while simulating and testing different techniques, from the manipulation of ice, to the creation of icy stalagmites that used frozen energy as support before crashing down on his enemies.

With each passing moment, Will felt his body becoming stronger, and his mind growing clearer. The Frozen Asgard Arts were changing him, transforming him into a mage capable of manipulating frigid energy in ways he had never considered.

As a boy obsessed with the way of the sword, Will had never put much thought into the Dao of Water. Now he was really starting to see the value of the Frozen Asgard Arts. They opened up the water attribute and negative energy control to him, giving him more options. Will was sure that the next time he had a sword, the results would frighten himself. 

'I miss that katana. Don't worry buddy, daddy will hold you soon.'

There were no more foreign thoughts of murder. Will was now able to focus and become himself; a man who can mock himself after reducing the amount of time he had to live. 

'If I can't crack a joke to myself in situations like this, there is no point to living.' 

The cocoon had been an experience Will would never forget. He was not much of a dreamer, in his life as an ordinary mortal he often forgot his dreams. But he would never forget what he experienced in the cocoon. 

As soon as it formed, his consciousness had started to fade, drifting away into an intangible mental realm. But he had just enough time to activate the Matrix on his hand. The Medici Matrix. 

It was a matrix with countless computational uses, such as helping process large amounts of data. Without the Medici Matrix, Will would have had to manually harmonize his vessels, an impossible feat for a mortal under level 100.

But the Medici Matrix made things easier, at a cost to Will's lifespan. 

Thanks to the Medici Matrix, Will drifted off into dreamland safely and pursued his goal in a semi-lucid state of dreaming. He was aware he was dreaming, but that was all he could do.

In the inky blackness of his dreams, Will felt weightless as he was surrounded by swirling abstract images that were barely discernible. Three colored lights suddenly appeared out of nowhere made up of red, blue, and green. 

They danced around him in a psychedelic display, changing shapes into spirals, triangles, and other strange patterns that defied explanation. Will felt a strange energy coursing through him, as if the very fabric of his being was being transformed by the mystical display.

The lights faded away, and suddenly, he found himself standing in the midst of towering mountains with snow-capped peaks piercing the clouds above. As he looked around, a blurry figure appeared before him, speaking in a language he couldn't understand. Despite the language barrier, Will felt a strange sense of calm and understanding wash over him.

Next, he found himself in the middle of a battlefield with warriors locked in fierce combat. The atmosphere was tense, and the conflict brutal as the warriors held all kinds of weapons such as razor-sharp katanas, curved blades that glinted in the sunlight, and bolas that whistled through the air. 

Will could see a fortress in the distance and a small group of warriors breaking away from the main battle and rushing toward the fortress with grim determination.

Suddenly, the scene shifted once again, and he found himself standing on a cold, frozen wasteland with a figure appearing before him wearing furs and carrying a staff made of crystal. The figure spoke in a language he couldn't understand, but Will felt a sudden sense of clarity and purpose wash over him like a warm embrace.

Throughout his dream, Will encountered various symbols and teachings from what he assumed were Daoist and Buddhist concepts, such as lotus flower, yin, and yang, the Bodhisattva, and a golden coiling dragon. 

He witnessed countless odd visuals he couldn't comprehend. In one of the many scenes he had gone through, he had seen a temple glittering with gold and engraved with intricate carvings, and inside, he found rows of monks meditating. They were incredibly harmonized

Will was shifted to countless scenes over what felt like an entire life's worth of time. 

Finally, he returned to face off against a fierce dragon similar to ones he had seen earlier but also different in its own way. It had two heads and four pairs of eyes that bore into him. . It was more like a western dragon. With purple skin that had a reddish hue. Its heterochromatic eyes carrying red and blue pupils attempted to pierce through his ephemeral body. Instead of feeling fear, Will felt brave and courageous, empowering him to stand firm in the face of danger.

The Dragon was frightening in appearance, but it gave Will an odd sense of security. It was a dragon he had recognized on the spot thanks to its infamy. 

'One of the three great Dragon Sovereigns. The Tyrian Double Headed Storm dragon, Uncle Bas' bloodline...Why am I seeing this last?' 

As the dream came to a close, Will realized that he had not only experienced surreal and fantastic images but also gained new insights into his path and the world around him. 

As the dream faded away, Will felt a sense of loss - as if he'd been on the brink of discovering something monumental, but had been pulled away before he could grasp it. But he knew that he would have chances to return to this strange dreamworld, and when he did he would unlock the secrets that lay hidden within. 

After he gathered his wits about him, Will opened his eyes, his wounds almost entirely healed. He felt more confident in his ability to harness his new powers and jumpstart his path under the watchful eye of Odin and Modus. 

With renewed strength and determination, he rose from the bed and prepared to embark on the next stage of his journey. One thing he knew for sure – the evolution he had just gone through had changed him in ways he hadn't anticipated, and that was just the beginning. But the price was equally steep. 

Will could feel that his body was stronger, but now he felt…hollow. 

Like he was a tall and mighty skyscraper made out of the greatest materials affordable but with a shaky foundation. Thankfully, this hollow feeling was temporary. And what followed suit was pleasantly surprising. 

His body started to change in many places. The changes were minute, but his 3 vessels were all harmonizing. Like a tetris puzzle filling into perfection, his mind, body and soul started to interlock and interact. 

Will tested out his cultivation by circulating energy as he did usually, and the results did not disappoint. 

'This flow, it's so unrestricted. It's like before my qi was like wax flowing down a rough hill, now it's like milk flowing down an icy channel. Barely any resistance and so smooth.' as Will basked in the smooth sense of comfort he had, Odin turned his attention to Adelda. 

"Child of the literati, how much of a chance do you think the boy has right now?" 

Adelda turned her head to Odin and said, "Before this in his prime state he only had a 0.005% chance of survival. Now I'm not sure. The changes are just too subtle. May I ask All Father, where would you put his chances now?"

Wodin smiled cheekily at Will and said,"I think I would put it around 5%"