Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

Chapter 119 [Elemental Nexus]

Spending a dozen cycles inside the storm, Sora felt the damage dealt by the [Spatial Element] becoming a threat to his life. Recognizing the need to reset the cumulative damage caused by the cycles of elemental attacks, he exited the storm momentarily.

His experiment had yet to yield the results he hoped for, as it only took a few minutes for the relentless elements to overwhelm him. He repeated the process until he finally unlocked the [Spatial Element]. As he did, he saw a change in his [Mana Evolution] skill.

Though far from mastering the new element, he felt satisfaction as the initial connection formed. The unfamiliar energy now seemed less foreign as he could feel his affinity with the element growing.

He turned his focus to his other task, and returned to manipulating the five elements to temper his body and resistance. Drawing each element to attract its wild counterpart, he allowed them to bombard him, targeting each of his fingers.

As the damage from the elements increased, he decided to test their combined force. Clenching his fist, he concentrated the five elements on a single point. The result was immediate.

When the elements converged on Sora's fist, the collision was chaotic.

Each element resisted mixing harmoniously, their energies fighting off for supremacy. The chaotic force broke through his defense, sending waves of pain through his fist as the interaction of the elements bypassed the resistance his body had painstakingly built up.

'What is this? The five elements combining to bypass my resistance? Don't tell me this is some new element… Each individual element is weak against me, but I have no resistance against their combined might.' He thought, fascinated.

Unwilling to leave the phenomenon unexplored, he used his other hand to summon the five elements again, attempting to mimic the process.

His first attempt to replicate the chaotic energy fell short of his expectations. With his left hand, he summoned fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning, each element obediently responding to his will. Yet, as he tried to force them to interact in the same way they had in the storm, the result was underwhelming.

The elements flowed gracefully in his palm, harmonizing without a hint of resistance. His elements were too calm, too controlled. They followed his commands without hesitation, fusing and balancing rather than clashing and struggling for dominance.

As he observed, it became clear that this harmony was nothing like the wild intensity of the storm's elements. The storm's energies had raged, even rejecting his control.

Reflecting on this difference, Sora realized that the chaotic power he sought might require something he hadn't yet mastered— like the release of his control, or perhaps a different type of interaction between the elements.

Trying his new theory, he attempted to release his control, but it wasn't easy. His control over mana was ingrained deeply, a product of his training and his [Mana Evolution]. Every particle of mana he summoned was accustomed to obeying him.

As frustration started to build, he pondered his lack of progress. He had tried everything he could think of—loosening his control, increasing the mana output, and experimenting with opposing elements—but nothing had recreated the chaotic energy he sought.

'Don't tell me [Mana Evolution] itself is holding me back… Or am I missing something crucial?' he wondered, a tinge of doubt creeping into his mind at the repeated failures. 'I need even more time to experiment in this direction.'

Lost in thought, Sora absentmindedly directed the elements in his left palm. Fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning flowed together, forming a small, stable whirlpool. The movement was smooth and fast, each element complementing the other. Unlike the wild elements of the storm, this harmony emerged naturally, effortlessly.

Watching the steady rotation of elements, Sora's frustration began to ease, replaced by curiosity. 'If that wild element is out of reach for now, maybe I can explore another direction— I can see what I can do by following my intuition.'

Exploring this new direction, each element interacted with synergy in Sora's palm, enhancing one another's strength.

Fire burned with intensity, fueled by the gusts of wind, making the flames hotter, faster, and wilder. Earth grounded the fiery wind, absorbing the heat and anchoring the other elements, stabilizing everything. Water circled around, tempering the burning earth without extinguishing it, creating bursts of steam. Lightning danced through this misty atmosphere, infusing the dense, marble-like fusion with electricity, giving the 'marble' a pulse.

Using [Condensed Mana] for each element, their power soared to a new level. But as the 'fusion' progressed, Sora noticed something alarming—the energy was draining his mana at an unprecedented rate. Although he was used to high mana consumption, he was taken aback by how fast his condensed mana was drained.

'This little fusion is draining me faster than I can condense more mana… What is this?'

Despite the strain, he pressed on, his curiosity outweighing the discomfort. As the elements continued to mix and amplify each other, they formed a dense, bright core of energy in his palm.

Suddenly, he noticed a transformation in the energy he was wielding. It wasn't fire, or wind, or any single element anymore. The combined force of all five elements, condensed and stabilized, began to take on a new form.

The energy in Sora's hand looked like a thick, metallic liquid core, heated to an intense temperature and surrounded by a mist that revolved around it at incredible speed. The entire core seemed alive, charged with electricity that pulsed through it, making it glow with power.

'Is this… a new element? This feels so strong' He stared in shock at the extreme energy condensed in the palm of his hand.

'I feel that Earth and Lightning are the strongest components. Maybe it's because I've focused on these two elements the most.'

While he could sense his affinity with fire influencing the fusion, its impact was noticeably weaker.

Sora looked at the notification in surprise, excitement flickering in his eyes at the discovery. He could already feel the potential for this energy to grow, and it was confined by the name of what he had created.. 'This thing can definitely evolve, but for now, I need to test its power.'

He focused on controlling the [Elemental Nexus], now fully formed, and tried to manipulate it. However, it was difficult to move—it felt heavy and slow.

As he attempted to extend it outward, Sora noticed his control weakening with distance. Bringing the [Elemental Nexus] back to his palm, he observed the storm around him. The wild elements seemed naturally drawn to it, like moths to a flame, getting absorbed into the nexus

At the same time, his understanding of the five elements deepened. Experimenting with the water element, he instinctively allowed his body to transform. His form took on a translucent, liquid appearance, flowing and shifting as though he had become water itself.

In this water elemental form, Sora moved with effortless grace, imagining an imaginary opponent, transforming into water and reforming in the blink of an eye. He even split his body into smaller bodies before reassembling it.

However, he quickly realized the trade-off: his superhuman strength, durability and resistances were inaccessible in this state. Instead, he gained immunity to physical attacks but remained vulnerable to elemental and energy-based assaults.

As elements struck his water-like body, he noted that lightning, in particular, caused extreme damage. 'It's a double-edged sword… This form definitely has room to grow, but I'll leave it for now,' he thought, reverting to his physical form.

'This must be a side effect of learning about elements in depth. This form likely has room to grow too, but I'll set it aside for now,' he thought, leaving the elemental form and returning to his physical body.

What had started as an attempt to push his body's limits had now granted him two new elemental powers and a set of elemental transformations.

'Here I am, discovering new things when I should just be polishing my current skills… Damn it, can't I train peacefully and push my skills? It seems like I can never train in peace.' he grumbled internally, complaining about having too many opportunities.

Kara's voice echoed in his mind. "You should come out. There's some action inside the zone."

Sora quickly stepped out of the storm, the [Elemental Nexus] still pulsing faintly in his hand.

His focus snapped to the dozen players standing not far away. They were demon race players, each from different factions—Foxes, Chickens, and Vipers among them. His eyes landed on a familiar face: the demon player they had spared earlier.

Emily crossed her arms, exasperated. "Told you we should've killed that damn demon. Why keep a promise to an enemy? Damn it, Ralph, you're too soft."

Without responding, Sora channeled his remaining [Condensed Mana] into the [Elemental Nexus], feeling its power surge in his palm. He glanced at Kara, who gave a nod of understanding, already preparing herself.