Sitting opposite Pikachu playing his portable console, I pondered.
I have ten months until enrollment at Mingzhu, and I need to optimize my growth to maximize gains in that time.
The one thing I forbade myself: fusing other mages' cultivation into mine for quick boosts. I remember from canon and my past life what happened to that Curse mage from the Mu family who used that method. Spoiler: he could only cast curses with aids like elemental diamonds.
Many Curse mages can't even cast it themselves, but that old man's control was especially poor compared to them. He's definitely one of the weakest in his tier.
That's why he "grows" Ice Leek with mages like Mu Ning Xue and seeks alternative attacks. Anyway, not my path. Though it'd work for quickly powering up future minions.
In a month, my body should fully recover its ability to breakthrough fast via cultivation at magical sources.
Instead of breaking through to Middle Tier in two elements, I plan to reach third tier in Summoning by then and breakthrough only there to Middle Tier, making up for weak prep with magic energy volume and source time.
That gives more time to find a contract beast and raise it to Pack Leader rank. I'll squeeze Director Xiao for all resources from other faculties and trade only for Three-Step Tower cultivation time. Aiming for at least a month; we'll see.
Having decided which element to breakthrough in a month, I eyed Pikachu. He's at Lesser Servant rank now but gaining power fast by devouring lightning resources.
At this rate, he'll hit Pack Leader before I enroll, but that's not enough. I want him at Pack Leader peak by then, and normal methods won't cut it. Time to test my old idea.
I recalled Pikachu and shifted to the parallel world, to my old pals in the Lei Clan. Tuning into our bond, I tried summoning Pikachu... and as expected, no dice. I can't reach him from the parallel world. Try another way.
Back to my world, summon Pikachu, and with him in arms, try slipping to the parallel world. At the Lei Clan estate, I check my hands—empty. Fail again.
Damn, no hassle with contract beasts since they dwell in soul-bound contract spaces, always with you. Spatial summons lack that perk.
Back in my world once more, I tried my last brainstormed option.
"Pikachu, let's try that fusion I told you about," I said to the blue rat.
"Pika! (Roger!)" Saluting with a paw, Pikachu dove into my body.
As soon as he entered, I felt I could freely control the lightning energy coursing through me. Under Pikachu's control, it did me no harm.
Focusing, I slipped to the parallel Lei Clan world again. Once there, Pikachu popped out and looked around curiously. Success.
Phase two of my plan. Capturing all Lei Clan mages the old way, I started the experiment. Ripping out a first-tier Novice lightning mage's cultivation, I didn't fuse it with Pikachu but offered it as a snack.
It hit me that cultivation energy is very soft—even if I gave High Tier mage cultivation to a normal human, they wouldn't explode but merge peacefully. They'd just suck at controlling it.
Pikachu digests lightning magic energy from resources into his own. But that energy is aggressive, slowing absorption.
I'm testing pre-softened lightning magic energy to boost his growth speed.
"Pika-mmm! (Finally decent food!)" As expected, Pikachu gobbled the treat happily.
Over a couple minutes, his reserves grew, inching toward mid-Servant rank.
Perfect. I fed him cultivation from five more Novice mages, and Pikachu finally broke through, flopping on the floor with a bloated belly.
"Pika-aa... (No more room...)" Guess that's his saturation limit now. Still way faster than regular lightning resources. In a month, I can push him to Servant peak.
I gave the remaining mages' cultivation to the Lei Clan slaves, fused with Pikachu, and returned to my world.
The next month: Summoning cultivation and soul-star enhancements in parallel worlds. The mountain where I absorbed the Ice Spiritual Seed has a great spot.
One month later. Parallel world. Bo City.
I sat by Bo City's Holy Spring, prepping for Summoning breakthrough to Middle Tier. Timed it a week before the next claimant arrives. A year before Mo Fan enters.
Post-breakthrough, I'll snag it—I know the mechanism now. Without the Holy Spring, Black Church might skip attacking the city, so I'm doing a good deed.
Focusing, I began the breakthrough. Summoning stardust stars were soul-enhanced, so success was certain.
Activating "Time Acceleration x5" fourth-tier Novice Time element, I sucked in magic energy.
One real day and five subjective days later, I broke through, drained the exhausted Holy Spring, and returned to my world.
Now, tame the new Summoning stars and hunt a contract beast. Hmm, who to pick?
I considered shifting to a parallel world hundreds of thousands of years back to contract a young Kunlun Emperor, but scrapped it quick.
Who knows what went down back then or the environment? I don't even know his exact age. A million? Who'd I ask for the date, beasts?
Need to think carefully: pick a mid-potential Emperor beast. High-tier Emperor? Even my trained lips curl at that.
"Pika-pika-chu! (Let's eat; I feel breakthrough-ready!)" Pikachu buzzed with zeal. After my Middle Tier Summoning breakthrough, he could hit Pack Leader.
Fusing with him, we jumped to the now-familiar Lei Clan parallel world.
Devouring cultivation from all twenty clan members, including several Middle Tier mages, Pikachu showed breakthrough signs. I fused and shifted back.
An hour later, lightning-cocooned Pikachu dispersed it, revealing his proper fur color to the world—yellow.
"Pika-chu! (My fur's finally right!)" The now-yellow rat joyfully raised paws to the sky. Hope they don't accuse me of blue-rat racism?
"Get used to your boosted power, Pikachu. Once I get you a new playmate, we'll practice body enhancement technique," I petted his head; he squinted happily and nuzzled my hand.