Chapter 40 (celestial inhale)

After several attempts. Drake devised a new approach. He began by slowly inhaling, deliberately creating a gentle rhythm that applied continued pressure on the reverse crystal embedded in his heart, with each breath drawing air deeply into his lungs, expanding his chest, and slightly compressing the space around the heart.

As the lungs expanded, the pressure pushed against the heart, prompting the reverse crystal to begin rotating. This subtle compression synchronised with his steady heartbeat, applying constant pressure to the reverse crystal,causing it to spin.

There are three steps to this method. 'The Inhale ', Drake took a deep and slow breath, which expanded his chest cavity, gently pressing on the heart. This slight compression is enough to initiate the reverse crystal spinning.

Secondly, in 'Heartbeat Pulse', in this step, Drake's heartbeat acted as a rhythmic driver. Each beat produced sent a small wave of pressure through the heart, which helped to maintain the crystal's rotation. These first two steps are timed carefully such that every breath is synchronised perfectly with the pulse, creating a continuous, unbroken spin.

And lastly, 'The Exhale.' His chest cavity contracted, releasing some of the pressure. However, the momentum of the reverse crystal keeps it spinning at a steady pace, which allowed for the balanced intake of mana, preventing Drake's body from overloading or losing control.

This technique akin to the peaceful, steady orbit of a planet around the sun, drawing in mana with each oscillation. However, the reverse scale's rotation is currently very slow, resulting in minimal mana absorption. At the moment, it takes the reverse scale 30 minutes to complete one oscillation, providing only 50 units of mana.

Inspired by the 'Twin Pulse Resonance Technique' and the pressure experienced in the vacuum room, Drake named this new breathing technique 'Celestial Inhale'.

Unlike other assimilating techniques that are more aggressive, celestial inhale focused on a steady and gradual buildup of mana. This made it possible for Drake to endure prolonged periods of mana assimilation without straining his body. This makes it an effective and graceful technique for steady assimilation of mana over time.

Drake stepped out of the mental strength sanctuary, shielding his eyes from the intense sunlight. Mark and Freya were waiting for him outside the building, holding back Xena, who was eager to rush inside. "Sister-in-law, you need to be patient." Mark said, wrapping his left arm around his waist to keep restrained.

"Let's me go; every other student has left; he's the only one still inside." She insisted, planting her feet firmly, trying to pull away from their grip. "You don't have to worry. If anything happens, there are people inside who will come to his aid." Freya reassured her, but this did not ease Xena's anxiety.

Drake approached them. "What's going on?" He said, looking curiously. They were all frozen and stunned by Drake's voice. They all turned towards him in unison. "My Crux." "Buddy." "Drake." They shouted together as their voices overlapped.

Mark and Freya quickly released Xena, and she darted forward, leaping into Drake's arms, her boobs colliding with his, leaving both Freya and Mark to turn away, their faces reddening as they awkwardly cleared their throats.

Drake gently put Xena down, patting her head. "I must have made you worry." He said, but Xena with a graceful. He turned to others and said, "Sorry for keeping you all waiting." He added.

Freya and Mark wave their hands dismissively. "Not really," Mark replied. "We just arrived here today, compere to her, who has been here for three days straight."

After a brief exchange of words, "Let not waste anymore time." Let's get the important things for our departure and head out of the academy to check out the market scene." Drake said, and others nodded in agreement. Drake held Xena's hand, leading the way while Mark and Freya followed behind.

They stepped out of the academy premises and made their way towards the buzzed business district. To Drake's surprise, the district is even more crowded with displayed goods than it was the day he first arrived at the academy.

They continued to explore, admiring the lively scene as they watched various merchants calling out to customers while others were busy attending to their clients, and there were some who were still unpacking their goods.

They were exploring the business district when they heard noise erupting behind them. They all turned and saw 10 students dressing in sky blue uniforms with white stripes approaching. Everyone around them moved aside, clearing the road for them.

"Are they not the academy seniors?" One of the customers asked a merchant.

"Yeah," the merchant replied. "They are out here because today is one of their important days." He explained.

"But I heard they were all attacked and killed during their assessment." The customer whispered. The marchant instantly pulled him close, covering his mouth. "Don't you know, it's taboo to talk about that now."

Drake was eavesdropping on their conversation and got startled when Mark and Freya pulled him and Xena to the roadside. Out of curiosity, Drake turned to Mark. "Why was everyone clearing the way for them?"

Mark leaned towards him, covering his mouth with his right hand. "Because that's the rule. They are recognised as the future warriors and mage of this continent." He explained and returned back to his position.

Drake is still pondering the conversation he overheard, wondering what could have happened on the day of the incident to make it such a forbid topic. Xena tugged him.

"My Crux, strawberry cake." She pointed at a merchant selling cakes and candy across the street. They all crossed over to the other side, walking towards the pop-up shop.

Seeing them approaching his shop, the merchant stepped forward to attend to them. "What do you want to buy, young stars?" Each of these is freshly made." He said, advertising his products.

"How much do you sell your cakes?" Drake inquired. "A pack of twelve pieces cost one sliver coin." The merchant replied, raising his right index finger.

"Okay," Drake reached into his bag and pulled out four silver. "Please arrange four packs." He handed the coins to the merchant.

At the same time, at a neighbouring shop next to the pop-up shop, old books were displayed and some scattered on the floor. Freya and Mark left Mark to his purchase and assist the elderly merchant in picking up and arranging the books.

As they do, a particular book caught Freya's eye. She stood up, flipping through it. "How much for the book?" she asked. The old man glanced at the book in her hands and then at her. "You can have the book if you want."

Out of conscience. "I can't take this for free. How will you make a profit if you just give it away?" She lamented. "You don't need to worry, the book doesn't cost much, and it's been in my shop for a long time without anyone buying it." The old man assured her.

Since it had piqued her interest, she hesitatedly accepted the book. "Thank you very much. I really appreciate it." She said, bowing slightly to the old man. Then she and Mark returned to join Drake.

Seeing them coming back, Drake enquired about their detour, and they explained, showing him the book. He asked Freya if he could take a look, and she handed it to him. As he flipped through the book, he was surprised to find a familiar name. 'Battle Remedies: The Alchemy of Healing Magic.' Written by 'Tiberius Victor.'