The raw tang of ozone and sweat still clung to Theon as he stood amidst his training room, his lungs burning with each ragged inhale. Three hours of relentless drills had left him utterly spent, his muscles trembling with exhaustion, yet his gaze remained fixed, unwavering. A swift, cold shower offered a fleeting respite, but the moment he settled cross-legged on his bed, his eyes were drawn to the stark white of the official assessment document on his nightstand—the one Kirk had handed him.
According to the analysis, his meridian talent was classified as [Seer]-rank, specifically something called [Luminaflux Circuits]: an innate network of enhanced energy pathways that functioned like living electrical conduits, granting him exceptional lightning affinity and precision. The bloodline section noted only a faint [Forgotten]-rank signature with weak fire Lu affinity, barely worth mentioning especially given that he had no connection to his parents to find out more. His soul was categorized as [Witness], without a title nor specific affinity so nothing to note. Most telling was what wasn't there, no mention of any special physique or ocular talents, just blank space where one might hope to see something remarkable.
Theon set the document aside with a quiet sigh. He flexed his fingers, watching as faint blue sparks danced between them, his only affinity and all he had to focus on.
Closing his eyes, Theon pushed aside these thoughts and assumed the meditative lotus position, and began meditating on the [Chaos Asura Purification Mantra], he had finally gotten a cultivation technique so he should also look at his refinement technique. In his mind a single sheet of paper appeared, each with incomprehensible handwriting that Theon understood the meaning of without being able to read exactly what it said.
'They say never make a deal with the devil,' a detached part of his mind mused, a flicker of something akin to exasperation. 'Did I get scammed this hard?'
The "mantra" that Aricaz had left him was a grand total of a single page. The front side was a compilation of incomprehensible scribbles that meant nothing. And the back ? Well… at least it had a brief description of the technique as Aricaz had described it ? Alongside it was a doodle of the technique that showed a caricature of flame and water colliding with the sparks that were created by the collision being sucked into a stickman.
'…..'
In the moment Theon hadn't exactly had the opportunity to inspect the goods but even then… wasn't this a joke? Only a true genius, someone with a deep understanding of the most obscure principles, could even begin to unravel the cryptic instructions. And even then, the result would not reflect the original technique's power or purpose.
Still, he wasn't completely left in the dark. Aricaz had left a wisp of consciousness that would help him use the technique.
Theon took a deep breath, centering himself. He knew the path ahead would be challenging, but he was determined. He willed his Lu into the brand on his left arm and watched as it greedily consumed it all. Slowly, he felt the presence of Aricaz's consciousness envelop him.
Suddenly, the air around Theon shimmered, and a miniature, vibrant projection of Aricaz materialized, floating casually before him. The tiny Aricaz idly scratched his ethereal nose, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Hey there, boy." Aricaz greeted, his voice resonating directly in Theon's mind with an easy, wide grin.
"Hello Aricaz." Theon smiled back, hiding any previous trace of annoyance.
"I've been working on understanding the technique." Theon began, "but I could use some clarification on the practical application of the [Chaos Asura Purification Mantra]."
Aricaz chuckled, the sound light and mischievous. "I mean suure but I thought it was pretty straightforward." He paused, then added, "Instead of suppressing and controlling Lu, let them clash, and then extract the chaos Lu."
Theon's eyebrow twitched. "Well yes the theory is all fine, it's just the application."
Aricaz floated closer, his grin widening as if he were about to impart some profound wisdom. "And that, my dear boy, is precisely why I'm here! To guide you through the finer points." As Aricaz spoke, his form rippled, dissolving from Theon's vision, his voice now a direct current in Theon's mind.
'This guy…' Theon thought, suppressing a sigh.
The mental projection of Aricaz didn't waste any time. "Alright, first things first. You're thinking too much. The [Chaos Asura Purification Mantra] is about abandoning control and allowing the natural forces within to clash. Fire against water, light against dark—don't suppress them, let them fight."
"Easier said than done." Theon muttered under his breath, acting exasperated to entertain Aricaz. "And then what? How do I 'extract' the chaos?"
"That's the trick!" Aricaz's voice sounded with a hint of glee. "YOU don't! You can't!"
Was he doing it on purpose?
"That's why I'm here. Surely you didn't think that an ant like you could control chaos? Surely not right? Come on, I expect more than that from someone I've personally chosen." Aricaz continued, his voice echoing with an almost condescending delight. "All you need to do is cultivate a state of stillness in the center of the storm. I'll take care of the Chaos Lu. You just try not to die from the raw, untamed, and immensely powerful Lu." added, a wide, unsettling smile painted across his projected face.
As if on cue, Aricaz projected a vivid image into Theon's mind: two raging elemental currents, one fiery red and the other icy blue, crashed together. Sparks, chaotic and unstable, erupted from their collision, coalescing into swirling pockets of nascent power.
"Unfortunately, your current environment is… dull." Aricaz's voice echoed in Theon's mind. "True Chaos Lu, the kind that truly purifies, thrives where conflicting elements collide—fire against water, light against shadow. Here, there's barely a ripple, just a gentle, unified flow. It'll be a little more difficult to start."
Theon barely registered the words. The flow of the Lu's in the environment were too mesmerizing and ethereal that they had completely drawn his attention. They flowed seamlessly, merging and diverging. Though no matter how hard Theon tried, he could not find the chaos Lu that Acuraz spoke of. There weren't even any clashes happening, much less emissions of Chaos Lu.
Sensing Theon's wandering thoughts, Aricaz snapped him back to reality. "Someone like you, who currently has neither the affinity nor the comprehension for Chaos Lu, won't be able to grasp it so easily. You don't realize how lucky you are to merely know of its existence, much less interact with it."
As he spoke, the blank canvas in Theon's mind—once filled with naturally flowing Lu—began to shimmer. Infinitely small dots of light flickered into existence, sporadic and unpredictable.
"For you, I've highlighted the naturally created Chaos Lu."
The flickering motes of light, scattered across the vast mental landscape, seemed entirely random to Theon. He traced their appearance, trying to discern some pattern, but found none. Whether the Lu streams converged or diverged didn't matter—the motes appeared without warning, and vanished just as quickly.
A single mote of light began drifting from its original position and approached Theon's body, entering his brain stem.
Theon felt a jolt of energy as he circled the Chaos Lu with his own, attempting to control and understand it. The Chaos Lu was wild, warm, and aggressive. It raged within him, threatening to lash out, to consume everything in its path. Yet, strangely, it didn't feel particularly malicious—just raw and untamed, like a primal force waiting to be harnessed.
"You ready?" Aricaz's voice broke through the intensity of the moment.
Theon nodded, determination flaring in his eyes.
"Good." Aricaz said, and with that, he released his control over the Chaos Lu.