The room was filled with a heavy silence as Lassim sat across from Sect Master Volten.
The tension that had been between before was starting to ease.
Volten had apologized, and now Lassim found himself staring down at his hands, feeling a mixture of emotions.
He had come to the Lightning Sect with hopes of growing stronger, but the reality of how others had seen a potential problem in him—his Headmaster, Volten—despite his honest efforts, was a bitter pill to swallow.
Yet, he now understood why. Power unchecked could easily lead down a dark path, and he had experienced enough with the former Endless Sun Sect Master to know that the need for even more overwhelming power once you had attained it was dangerous. It could lead to the same depravity that Yuan had fallen into.
After a few more moments of silence, Lassim spoke. "I get why you were cautious. And… I appreciate the apology. I know I’ve risen in power too quickly for most to understand, but I’ve never wanted to be someone who disregards others because of it. My father is the Iron Marquis, someone who built their name on defending others in their time of need against the abyss, saving our kingdom.
If I didn’t do the same, how could I live up to his legacy?"
Volten nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair. "You’ve shown that you’re different. But I still had to be sure after what I read in the letter. There’s always a risk when someone rises to power too quickly. Too much, too fast can warp someone’s mind, make them lose sight of what’s important."
Lassim looked up, his violet eyes jutting out a couple of sparks of lighting, "I understand."
The Sect Master regarded him quietly, his gaze softening. "Good. It’s rare for someone your age to have such insight. Most Spirit Ascension warriors have lived centuries, even millennia. They’ve had time to grow, to experience the world, to learn. But you…" He chuckled, though there was no malice in his voice.
"You’re just a boy. Fifteen—nearly sixteen—and you’re already wielding power beyond what most can dream of! Hahaha. I reckon you must be more powerful than even your father, no?"
Lassim smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, I’m not sure. I haven’t really understood exactly how powerful he was when I was younger. I hope to give him a nice duel when I can travel back home though. "
"I’m sure he’d be proud. Yet, in your current state, with how you fight, he’d probably be greatly disappointed. See, your lacking experience, that’s part of the problem," Volten said, his tone shifting back to seriousness.
"Your power is undeniable. That much is true. You’ve somehow been given unrestricted access to the upper levels of cultivation when the gods blessed you and you’ve grown faster than anyone in history, and we must acknowledge the problems that come along with that."
Lassim frowned slightly, unsure of what he meant. "What do you mean?"
"Your techniques," Volten said bluntly. "Or rather, your lack of them."
Lassim blinked, caught off guard. "My lack of techniques? But I’ve been using—"
"I know what you’ve been using," Volten interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "Basic [Slash]es, [Thrust]s, and your [Hydroburst] technique. The last one, it’s impressive for a self created battle art by a 15 year old, sure, but it’s all simple. Too simple."
Lassim’s confusion deepened. "They’ve been enough so far… I mean, I’d like better techniques but it’s not like Lightning and Water elemental techniques just exist in the sect’s library for me to access."
Volten shook his head. "They’ve been enough for now, because your raw power and how people underestimate you make up for it. When I look at you, I see a Spirit Ascension cultivator, but your power is actually in the early stages of Spirit Transcendence. You catch others off guard and they don’t take you with full caution. But that won’t last forever.
You’ll be recognized wildly soon and your current techniques are those of a mortal swinging a weapon around. You’re relying on brute force rather than finesse. It’s almost barbaric."
Lassim’s face reddened at the critique, but he didn’t argue. "I..."
Volten interrupted, "Most Spirit Ascension cultivators—hell, even Spirit Transformation cultivators—have spent centuries creating, testing, and refining their techniques. They’ve experimented, developed styles that suit their strengths, that allow them to maximize their power.
You’ve been fighting like a Spirit Growth cultivator who was just given access to the elements, not a Spirit Ascension warrior."
Lassim opened his mouth to protest, but then he thought back to the battles he had fought. He remembered swinging his halberd wildly, relying on sheer power to launch massive element mana blades to overwhelm his opponents.
the most complicated battle arts he had were [Grand Aegis], something he was taught by a Spirit Ascension cultivator, and the self-created [Hydroburst] which was much simpler by comparison. It had worked so far, but now that Volten pointed it out, he realized how crude his attacks had been.
"I guess… I’ve never really had the time to think about my fighting style," Lassim admitted, his voice quieter now. "After I left the academy, I met with an Abyssal cult member and well some things happened that led to me just focusing on surviving, and helping some people I care about. I know I’ve needed new techniques, but I didn’t realize how serious it was."
Volten softened at the admission but didn’t let up. "That’s understandable, given your circumstances. But if you want to truly master your power, you need more than just raw strength. You need to develop techniques that are unique to you."
Lassim frowned in thought. "Like what?"
"Let me ask you something," Volten said, leaning forward. "How do your teammates, Tristan and Eveline, use their powers? You’ve fought side-by-side with them, yes?"
Lassim nodded. "Yeah, I’ve fought with them before."
"So tell me. What do they do that’s different from you?"
Lassim paused, thinking back to the times he had fought alongside his friends. "Tristan… he’s all about range. He can send lightning bolts from so far away that his enemies can’t even see him, let alone attack back. You could say his specialty focuses on range and precision, launching those powerful strikes from a distance. And Eveline, she’s incredible with runes.
She uses different types of Lightning runes to boost myself or our team or uses them to disrupt the enemy’s spells and attacks. Her runes are especially good at breaking through barriers or weakening her opponents’ defenses. Her specialty would be the different variety of lightning runes she’s mastered."
Volten nodded approvingly. "Exactly. They’ve both developed unique techniques based on their strengths. Tristan has learned to use his power for long-range, devastating attacks, and Eveline has mastered the art of disruption and support. They don’t just swing their weapons around—Heck, they hardly use their weapons at all—they’ve instead refined their abilities into something more."
Lassim’s eyes widened as the realization hit him.
Volten smirked slightly. "Now you’re getting it. So, it’s time for you to start thinking about what makes you unique. What can you do that no one else can?"
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Volten continued before he could reply, "And that’s where we’ll start. But before we get into that, I have one more question for you."
Lassim asked, "What is it?"
Volten’s expression became more serious. "That power you used to close the portals. The one that lets you manipulate whatever it is that makes them function. Can you fully control it?"
Lassim’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t expected this question. "Well… it’s complicated."
"Complicated? I’m your new master and there’s nothing I haven’t heard or seen in my long life that could surprise me. Your secret is safe with me but I must know for the safety of my sect and for your own growth if you want my help." Volten raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting more of an explanation.
Lassim sighed, running a hand through his blue hair. "It’s the newest element that’s been reintroduced into the pantheon by the goddess Khaalseru. Space. I’m… kind of the first progenitor of the Space element since its return."
Volten’s eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. "Progenitor?"
"Yeah… like a champion, I guess," Lassim said, feeling a bit awkward. "I was chosen to represent the Space element after I helped her, just like I’m the champion for the Water and Lightning elements too."
Volten’s expression darkened, and his orange lightning flickered around him briefly. "So the gods saw fit to lay all of this onto a child. Brilliant!
Lassim flinched at the sudden surge of power from the Sect Master, taken aback by the intensity of Volten’s reaction. "I… I didn’t ask for it. It just happened."
Volten closed his eyes for a moment, reigning in his emotions as his orange lightning crackled around him. "I’m not angry at you, Lassim. I’m angry at the gods. They’ve always treated us like pawns in their eternal war against the Abyss."
"The gods are powerful, yes," Volten continued, his voice calmer now. "But they don’t care about us the way you might think. We’re tools to them. Disposable. They use us to fight their battles, but when the time comes to actually protect us, they do nothing."
Lassim frowned, feeling a knot of frustration form in his chest. "You’re talking about the Sect War."
Volten nodded, his eyes glowing faintly with his defiance lightning. "Yes, but not only this instance. If Bavdall or any of the other gods had warned us about the corruption within the Sun Sect, none of this would have happened. We could’ve prevented it! They let us fight to protect their little peace, and we’re the ones who pay the price."
"I’ve seen it time and time again over the last 7,000 years of my life," Volten continued, his voice filled with frustration. "The gods refuse to get involved, even when they should. They sit back and watch as we fight and die in their name."
Volten’s orange lightning flickered again, but this time it was more controlled, "That’s why I defied them. That’s why I was able to break through to the Spirit Prince stage. I refused to be their pawn any longer."
Lassim’s eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean that’s why you were able to break through?"
Volten leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "It’s just a theory I have, but I believe that to truly ascend—to become gods of our own—we must first sever our connection to the gods. It’s painful, yes. Heartbreaking, even. But it’s the only way to fully merge with our elemental companions and create our own path.
You need to prove your daring with the creation of your own branch of the element you were given. I’m certain this is the path forward, turning this creation into an element capable of standing on it’s own."
Lassim’s mind whirled as he considered the implications of Volten’s words. Severing his connection to the gods? It seemed unthinkable.
But then, he remembered the vision he had seen during the Water Trial. The vision of himself as a Demi-God. He had felt the power of his companions, but now that he thought about it, there had been no connection to the gods. He had been… free.
"I think… I understand," Lassim said quietly, the realization sinking in.
Volten nodded, satisfied with the response. "Good. But we’re getting sidetracked. We’ll talk more about the gods and their games and breakthroughs to higher stages later. Right now, we need to focus on your fighting style."
Lassim nodded, still processing those sensations from the vision he was starting to forget by now.
Volten leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "So, tell me, Lassim—what kind of fighter do you want to become? What kind of techniques do you want to focus on?"
Lassim didn’t reply immediately, his mind racing with possibilities. He had never really thought about it before.
What aspects of fighting was he best at?
What did he want to be known for?
What kind of techniques would define his style?
He stayed silent, lost in thought as Volten watched him closely, waiting for an answer.