Chapter 70: Psychic Impalement

David returned home and collapsed straight onto his bed, unwilling to move even a finger. The abilities of Trainer Jeremy ignited a fervor in his heart. His gaze shifted to the Shadow Attendant, and he commanded it to float to his side. Upon contact, a warm energy surged into his body and seeped into his soul. The fatigue that had plagued him vanished instantly, replaced by a sensation akin to soaking in a hot spring, enveloping his soul in comfort.

Once David emerged from this pleasant feeling, he noticed a distinct change in his surroundings—one that accompanied every significant mental enhancement. The scents around him became richer; he could discern the complex aromas in the air and identify their individual components, an experience entirely new to him. If this counted as an ability, it was one he had just acquired. The first time his mind was strengthened, his vision became more vibrant and clear. Now, his sense of smell had sharpened, though he couldn’t tell if this was inevitable or mere coincidence. Regardless, it wasn’t something he could discuss with others.

He instructed the Shadow Attendant to open the attribute panel and saw his mental strength: 3.73 (1), a full increase of 0.3 points. Given that a warrior’s soul previously granted him a 0.1-point boost, the growth Trainer Jeremy provided was triple that. David was startled; if he had known Jeremy’s true strength beforehand, would he have dared to ambush such a formidable presence?

He recalled Jeremy’s strange abilities—from the sudden appearance of white light armor and shield, to the terrifying heavy sword technique, the bullet-dodging footwork, the uncanny ability to sense and avoid danger before it struck, and the final, nearly lethal attack. And these were only the abilities Jeremy had revealed; surely he possessed others yet unseen.

David felt as though he had won the lottery, but didn’t know what kind of prize he’d claimed, a sensation that gnawed at him like ants. He placed a hand on the Shadow Attendant and explored its being. Within its ethereal form, a solitary orange knowledge sphere floated. The sight doused his excitement like cold water. Having acquired several yellow spheres recently, he no longer regarded orange spheres highly.

When he asked the Shadow Attendant to display the orange sphere, he saw information for “Mental Pierce (10% proficiency).” Instantly, he recalled the silent, agonizing attack that had almost sent him into oblivion—a formless stab into his soul.

“I’ve hit the jackpot!” He forgot his earlier disappointment, his heart surging with exhilaration.

He hadn’t fused with a knowledge sphere in days; his soul and body were more than ready for it. Encountering such a unique mental attack ability, he could not wait any longer.

“Fuse!” He ordered the Shadow Attendant to transfer the “Mental Pierce (10% proficiency)” sphere into him. Strangely, he sensed the sphere transform into a seed as it entered his soul—a feeling difficult to describe, pure and direct.

As he prepared to examine it, an illusion appeared. A giant hand pressed upon his head, and as before, David could sense everything in his body but was merely an observer. A peculiar seed entered his soul with the hand, mirroring the earlier experience with the knowledge sphere.

Each day, he poured mental energy into the seed—a method of manipulating spirit he was witnessing for the first time. The seed slowly sprouted and grew, eventually becoming a sapling. Within the sapling, a strong mental force took shape, growing tougher over time. One day, the body released this force; the sapling withered immediately. Then, more spirit was infused, and the sapling nurtured a new, resilient force, regaining the ability to launch Mental Pierce.

David awoke from the illusion, his eyes filled with confusion. This ability, named Mental Pierce, depended entirely on that seed. Without it, he could not teach the skill to others, as it was the foundational element. Though strange, it was enough that he could wield it—he knew firsthand its terrifying power.

Seated on his bed, David began to sense the seed within his soul. Without the prior seed’s entry, he would not have been able to truly perceive his elusive soul. Although the soul resided in the body, most of the time it corresponded to the brain rather than any tangible presence. This time was different: he detected a peculiar existence within, and instinctively knew it was the location of his soul. Floating there was a seed identical to the one from the illusion.

David wondered if the Shadow Attendant, after absorbing Jeremy’s soul, had forcibly extracted the sapling and reverted it to its seed form. Such inexplicable phenomena could only be guessed at. Previously, his spirit was like clouds drifting in his soul, unused; now, he carefully directed it into the seed.

Perhaps the seed was already brimming with energy, nearly ready to sprout, or maybe it was not a seed but a sapling. As soon as David infused it with spirit, it grew rapidly, far faster than in the illusion. Soon, a tough mental force was born within the sapling, unlike the cloud-like spirit—it was like an arrow. David finished his practice with delight, but before he could observe more changes in his soul, intense drowsiness overtook him and he fell asleep.

Just before drifting off, he resolved to always practice the Eighteen Forms of Physical Technique first, saving Mental Pierce for right before bed.

In truth, Mental Pierce was not so easily mastered; as a special secret technique, it demanded powerful spirit to learn. This strict requirement barred most people from acquiring it. Furthermore, the technique required the legacy of a mental seed, each transfer being a tremendous drain on the giver, making such inheritance exceedingly cautious.

The Shadow Attendant had nearly ripped the mental sapling from Jeremy’s soul, forcibly creating a seed. No inheritor would ever do this, as it would sever their own practice and severely damage their soul. David owed his swift acquisition of Mental Pierce to the Shadow Attendant’s actions.

At six the next morning, David woke punctually, feeling energetic rather than fatigued from the previous day’s exertion. He realized that the best way to replenish his spirit was simply to sleep well—a welcome discovery, since excessive mental consumption wouldn’t disrupt his daily life.

After completing the Eighteen Forms of Physical Technique, he observed that his strength and constitution remained unchanged, though he felt a transformation in the nature of his internal power. He wondered what form this change needed to take to trigger a qualitative leap.

He activated his identity bracelet to contact Garen, but found the connection impossible. Either Garen had turned off his bracelet, or he had left Rock Planet for space. In any case, answers from Garen were out of reach.

Eating some enhanced larva meat, he studied the map, searching for a large enough area to park the Beacon. “Perhaps I should ask a real estate agent?” After a bit of searching, he gave up, realizing that professional matters were best left to professionals.