Vikram smashed the final imp, flicking his axe to send the imp's lifeless body flying backward. Breathing heavily, he approached the ancient, weathered statue at the center of the chamber. He placed his hand on the cool stone and felt a surge of energy course through him as he focused on increasing his strength.
With a concentrated effort, Vikram willed the souls to flow through his body, intent on increasing the embryonic Primal Blood. But it seemed as though he had reached a cap. The souls he had poured into the stone turned into pure soul power and entered his body, only to seep out helplessly.
He looked at his own body and nodded. Now that he had reached the absolute peak of the Realmless State, it was time to break through into the Major Accomplishment of Breath of the Crimson Pulse.
Brunus looked at Vikram with a skeptical expression and shook his head.
"Why do you want information on Enlightenments and Breakthroughs?"
Vikram walked beside Brunus, glancing out the glass window to see the cityscape below. The small buildings and tiny figures of people far beneath them gave him a sense of detached superiority, as if he were an immortal gazing down at mere mortals.
He shook off the thought and focused on the path ahead, following Brunus through the sleek, metallic black corridors of the tower. The futuristic ambiance of the place felt both soothing and invigorating.
They approached a black door with pure white accents, a striking contrast that caught Vikram's eye. Brunus opened it, and Vikram stepped into a large training hall. The room buzzed with activity. His peers were immersed in intense training and sparring.
Vikram's eyes widened as he witnessed displays of magical and supernatural abilities. Flames burst from someone's hands, another manipulated water into dancing shapes, while a third moved with a strange affinity for shadows. The energy in the room was thick and pulsing. Each person was pushing their limits and honing their skills with almost religious fervor.
A twinge of vulnerability crept into Vikram's chest. The powers on display were awe-inspiring, and he stood without any of them. But he squared his shoulders, puffed his chest, and raised his head high. With Brunus at his side, a compact figure radiating strength, Vikram felt eyes turning toward him.
This pressure was suffocating, but he wore his confidence like armor.
"Damn it, this is really pressuring," he muttered inwardly.
Then, a loud, bellowing voice cut through the hall.
"Finally, you raised your lazy ass to come train, huh?"
Vikram's eyebrows twitched. He looked forward and saw the Lady General staring at him with a feral grin. Brunus gave a helpless smile, clearly familiar with her intensity.
As Vikram walked forward, the stares intensified. The entire hall seemed to be watching.
"I was meditating, not lazy," Vikram replied, his voice steady despite the tight knot in his chest.
The reaction was immediate. Gasps echoed around him. The atmosphere froze. Everyone waited for the explosion that would surely come next.
But the Lady General laughed. A deep, hearty laugh that shattered the tension like breaking glass.
"Heh, fine, fine," she said, still grinning.
She motioned for Vikram to follow. As they walked, she spoke again.
"I've heard someone in this batch is special, even more than the batch itself."
Her gaze passed over a few individuals, then flicked to Brunus. He gave her a small nod.
Vikram had trained with them enough to notice how often their attention lingered on him. Sometimes it made him grateful. Other times, it just made him feel like a charity case.
If he had been bullied, he would have thrived. He knew how to survive under pressure. Just like in his First Walk, where the brute called Hulk and his three lackeys had mocked and underestimated him.
"I wonder where those grunts ended up..." he thought absently.
But all this warmth and protection—they made him uneasy.
As they sat down in Kayala's personal chamber, Vikram casually reached for an apple and took a bite, slouching onto the couch.
She gave him a short nod and sat down across from him. She had told him once that formal titles annoyed her. The right to call her by name had been offered like a privilege.
"Kayala," he said between bites, "do you know anything about Enlightenments? How they happen, what triggers them... or how someone can reach one quickly?"
Kayala paused mid-step. Brunus's brows drew together.
That wasn't the question they expected. Usually, Vikram bombarded them with technical queries about cultivation methods, combat training, or physique refinement.