#7 3 years

After 3 weeks of improving his control over Death energy he finally had break through and now was able to control it on Expert level. With this break through he also got new understanding of "animal" Shadow and earned that he wasn't animal but spirit in animal form. That was also reason for his attachment to Ren. Spirits always liked to be near energies they preferred.

Now that his control over 1 Energy was sufficient plus his body not so small anymore he could start absorbing another 1. But Ren didn't know what to choose and after half day of thinking he chose Water energy. Reason was simple, it would gave him regenerative abilities and also enhance his organs. He also believed that with his enhanced organs and trained body he would be able to support 2 more unmastered energies and train them at the same time. He didn't have in mind any new abilities he could create with Water energy, his main focus was getting his body and organs enhanced.

He went near river and started meditating.

------TIME SKIP, 1 YEAR------

Ren was meditating near river when he experienced cooling sensation. After that he felt tranquil not just in mind but also in body. He experienced another break through and was currently at Adept control. This kind of speed was only possible thanks to river, by being a near water source his training in control was much faster. But he immediately noticed how his training slowed down in speed a lot.

Control over Water energy at Adept level gave him few advantages like much higher flexibility of body and enhancement of organs and body. Of course enhancement of body was minimal and Ren could ignore that, but he is glad for every power up he can get. He also finally got his passive regeneration of body and organs, therefore he can never become ill anymore. He was also able to control his blood flow to stop any bleeding. He also believed that if he had Master control of Water energy he could get his heart pierced without dying.

'I guess if I want to have faster training I need to be near ocean or at least sea.' Ren thought about his training while he was looking at turtle which was sleeping peacefully on his lap.

That's right, another "animal" or more likely spirit approached him. He himself didn't mind since he didn't have to be all alone in this wildness and it was nice to have some companions. He named him Shell. Like always it seemed that he was complaining about his name but Ren didn't mind him at all.

Thankfully turtle was vegetarian or Ren would need to hunt every hour.

'At least this turtle doesn't eat any meat like that stupid crow'

'I..can..hear..you!!' Shadow instantly complained.

'oops'

Next few days Shadow ate 2 times more than usually.

'Fuc*ing telepathy'

------TIME SKIP, 2 YEARS------

Ren woke up from his meditation and was in good mood thanks to break through to Expert level in controlling Water energy. He also created new techniques:

First technique allows him to create a mist that would obstruct enemy's eyesight. He named this ability "Eternal mist", because it couldn't be cleared unless Ren wanted to, not even if tornado was near it. Only when Ren would get too tired it could be cleared.

Second technique was same as "Death coating" that allows him to coat his weapon in water. What was it's main power? Ren still didn't know but he knew that sabre was most suitable to be coated in water. He named it "Water coating".

Right now he was pretty bored and stiff from all that controlling training and meditation. He decided to go to deeper parts of forest with Shadow and Shell to try out his "Water coating" ability... He already had rough guess what was it's main power now he just needed practice target.

'Shadow, go and find some Danger beasts'

After some time Ren was able to find practice target with help of Shadow. What he didn't expect was that so called practice target was Medium-Class 1 Danger beast. It had form of turtle like Shell but only much bigger. I was almost 10 meters tall and looked like it's specialty was defense and rough power.

Ren was thinking if he should attack it or not but after few seconds of hesitation he reminded himself that if he wanted to get more powerful he needed to risk. He instantly appeared before Turtle like danger beast and it was immediately enraged that weak little human dared to appear before it.

Beast immediately attacked with it's leg with full power. Ren would never dared to take that attack head on but he had to try out his theory about "Water coating".

'Please work....'

He activated "Water coating" and tried to parry that attack with his saber. Fortunately his theory wasn't wrong and he easily parried it's big leg. Turtle was surprised at first but turned even more enraged moment after.

'I thought I would fly away. To counter rough power one truly needs to use gentle power, like gentle flow of water.'

Beast started it's combo of attacks and Ren quickly grew annoyed, so he used his "Eternal mist" to get away from it's attacks and immediately created few "Death spears" and started throwing them at it. He threw 2 spears at it's eyes and other 3 at it's legs. But what he saw greatly surprised him.

'It seems I underestimated myself, thanks to Expert mastery in Death energy greatly increased spear's penetration power.'

2 spears that he threw at it's eyes penetrated skull and instantly killed it.

After few hours of hunting Danger beasts he went back with his companions to his "base" and started to think about his future plans.