Luckily, Darius had a lot of potions stashed away in the academy, exclusively for training. Brian had grown accustomed to drinking two potions every lum. Brian had been advised not to drink more than one potion of any kind per sol. Apparently, not only would it have no additional effect, but it could also upset his stomach and put him out of commission for the rest of the lum. Given the delicate balance he'd achieved with the diarigon elixir, he didn't dare risk disrupting it. He took a valtite potion while attempting to manifest void energy, and a vigor potion during combat training.

Brian hadn't needed to consume vitality potions while at the academy. He'd never sustained serious injuries during their sparring sessions, so his vitality typically fully replenished provided he ate proper meals every lum.

It took him some time to get used to their distinct taste and the mysterious feeling as they coursed through his body. But now, he was chugging them like Gatorade.

Also, Kael had taught him to meditate, a skill that restored his valtite over time. This method was faster than merely relying on his intelligence stat for natural restoration, yet it fell short of the speed offered by a valtite potion. His current situation demanded a potion. After all, Darius expected results by day's end. Still, he recognized the other benefits of meditation, notably how it focused the mind and spirit. Thus, he allowed himself a brief period of contemplation to practice the skill and ease his mental strain.

He held the Valtite Potion he had brought with him and drank it.

[Valtite Potion (Trace)] - Crafted from refined valtite energy, this potion replenishes the consumer's valtite reserves and enhances energy flow. Its tranquil azure contents glow with the soothing power of valtite, offering a wellspring of energy to the user.

With his daily valtite potion down, and his reserves replenished, Brian was ready to continue his attempts at manifesting his valtite.

Before proceeding, Brian decided to test his new skill. Kael had taught him meditation, a method that replenished his valtite. However, it was a time-consuming process, and given that Darius had set a deadline by the end of the lum, using a valtite potion remained the more efficient option for restoring his energy. That said, meditation also had other advantages - it refreshed his mind and enhanced his focus. To practice this skill and ease his mental fatigue, Brian opted for a brief session of meditation.

Clarity struck him. Brian’s eyes shot open. He’d figured out what his mental barrier was. It was fear, a strong instinct of self-preservation and fear of accidentally killing himself with void energy. He knew he couldn’t remove that fear, but he could trust his constitution; it had been proven over and over again during combat training.

With his Oculus Core activated, Brian focused on the energy currents surrounding him. And then, there it was. He finally encountered the seemingly inexplicable mental block. He felt a faint sensation as a minuscule surge of power escaped from one of the fingers on his left hand. His palm began to heat up and turned red as his valtite reserves started to dwindle. He knew he was on the cusp of success.

Brian shielded his right eye with his free hand, an attempt to conserve his energy. Concurrently, a tiny black orb materialized at the tip of his left middle finger. He could feel it - the manifestation of his valtite was underway.

'DING' Manifestation Unlocked: 'Void Command'. An intimate understanding of the cosmic void unfolds before you, granting you the power to harness its immense forces.

Ability Acquired: [Event Horizon Grasp (Trace)] – Allows the user to form a small black hole on their hand that absorbs and neutralizes incoming attacks. The user can manipulate void energy to generate a potent gravitational field that renders threats harmless.

 

[Energy Level: Medium]

Aiming to bridge the gap between his energy and the fragment's. Activating his Valtite Vision, Brian focused on maintaining the flat orb position at his fingertip while simultaneously increasing its power.

He could feel a weak gravitational pull coming from the orb.

As he did so, the orb's hue intensified, and its swirling motion gained momentum. Now in a constant, fluid spin, the energy became easier to manage, allowing him to project it with his palm.

[Energy Level: Low]

Brian grinned after a moment, "Electrifying!"

The small vortex in his hand felt like an extension of himself, creating a controlled vacuum with a gradually strengthening force. The force was both exhilarating and terrifying. He knew that too much uncontrolled power could be disastrous.

[Energy Level: Very Low]

Valtite drained from his body at an alarming rate as the orb spun faster and faster. Raw energy crackled around it, bending light. Brian attempted to lower the orb’s power, but it relentlessly consumed more of his valtite, spinning with increased velocity. The pressure surpassed Brian's ability to handle. From his perspective, the surroundings started to lose their color, everything becoming pale, akin to a state of hypoxia.

[Energy Level: Depleted]

But then, just as his eyes were about to close shut, the valtite fragment suddenly flew into his palm, jolting him alert. Stunned, Brian’s newfound ability halted abruptly and he examined his hand, wondering where the fragment had gone. "Godammit."

You have gained +10 to your Valtite reserves.

[Energy Level: Very High]

Suddenly, the manifestation process stopped. Brian's body shook with exhaustion. He could feel consciousness almost slipping away from him. His endurance was in the single digits, but his valtite was sitting at full. The mini black hole in his palm absorbed the valtite fragment’s energy…

“That’s… interesting.”

Darius's voice echoed in the room, "Valtwood, you may become a decimator afterall."

Commander Darius Keldorn approached Brian, a hint of a smile on his face. "Congratulations, Valtwood. You really surprised me. I did not know you had it in you. Way to stick to your–" He paused, scanning the area, and furrowed his brow. "Where's my valtite fragment?"

Brian simply stared at him, without words. But Darius frowned, awaiting a response.

"The fragment has flown into the void..." Brian said, waving his hand through the air as he looked off into the distance. Darius, however, was not amused.

Darius sighed and crossed his arms. "You'll have to reimburse me for that fragment, Valtwood."

Brian nodded, "I understand, sir. I have a friend who has a lot of fragments, so I'll get you one soon."

"If you don't," Darius warned, "I will hunt you down. Now, pick up your stuff, and get ready for combat training." He strode off mumbling, “too think I almost got my hopes up…”

The group stood in the combat training area for what would be their last set of sparring matches against each other.

Jax, who stood next to Brian, mumbled to himself. “Me first, Me first, Me first…”

“Brian, Jax, you two will spar first.”

“Yes!” Jax grinned mischievously, nudging Brian with his elbow.

Brian assumed a defensive stance, feeling slightly nervous yet determined. "Just don't burn me, alright?"

"Oh, don't worry. I only melt things, not burn them. There's a difference, trust me."

As the mock battle commenced, Jax lunged at Brian with a powerful right hook. Brian dodged the attack with ease, his Oculus Core-enhanced reflexes kicking in.

Jax tilted his chin. "Not bad, Brian. But look at this awesome move!" He charged forward, his fists glowed with heated energy, ready to melt anything they touched.

Brian danced around Jax's onslaught, narrowly avoiding being singed by the scorching heat emanating from his opponent's hands. The two continued to spar, with Brian's dodging skills, keeping him safe from Jax's powerful blows.

The peculiar dance of attack and evasion had just started. Darius's veins were already bulging, and he unconsciously cracked his knuckles. He had come to despise Brian’s Chronal Gaze, especially since it allowed Brian to be very careful and deliberate with his attacks. Commander Darius Keldorn only enjoyed watching direct encounters where fighters traded blows in a display of strength.

Brian, on the other hand, had become efficient at using aikido to counter. He would usually move safely across the mat and wait for that one perfect opportunity to respond.

“DO YOU TWO PLAN ON STAYING HERE THE ENTIRE PHASE?”

Jax came to an abrupt stop, clearly bewildered. “Will there be chillicious at some point? Because I don’t want to stay here an entire phase if we are only eating vegetables every lum. I like to have some sweets every once in a while to keep my macro-nutrient levels balanced.”

Darius’s mouth hung agape. “It was a rhetorical question…”

Brian took advantage of Jax’s and Darius’s exchange to activate his Event Horizon Grasp. As the void vortex within his left hand swirled around, Brian’s only thought was to attempt and strike with it.

“Ahh, ok, well then I change my answer to just a short social laugh.” Jax chuckled sheepishly, but had to duck quickly as Brian had seized the opportunity to attack.

Jax, however, moved like a wild beast, providing no opportunity for Brian to engage his new ability. Launching a series of aggressive swings, Jax kept Brian on the defensive. Determined to parry one of Jax's attacks with his void vortex, Brian braced himself for the perfect moment. Yet, Jax, as unpredictable as ever, managed to strike Brian's elbow instead of the expected target. A jolt of searing pain shot through his arm, causing him to lose focus. The sudden shock abruptly extinguished his void vortex manifestation, leaving his skin blistering.

“Brian, you are like a–” Jax, panting from exertion, paused and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Flarflar at a birthlum party."

Brian smirked. "Thank you Jax. You're pretty strong."

Jax didn’t possess Kael’s fighting finesse, but his senses for combat were probably better. But Brian thought he had an idea of how to win.

Brian and Jax circled each other, looking for an opening. Jax suddenly swung his hand in a slicing motion. Brian dodged slightly, staying close, while simultaneously preparing to jump. Jax's scorching palm grazed his face, it felt like a sudden blast of desert wind.

Everything slowed for Brian. He could see each droplet of sweat trickling down Jax's face, could feel the heat radiating off Jax's hand, could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

With precision, he jumped higher than he would have ever been able to on Earth, surpassing even the height of Jax's body. The exact height required for his counterattack. Brian considered using his Event Horizon Grasp on Jax just then, but he was sure he could win without potentially causing permanent damage to his friend.

Brian landed his full weight with one foot on Jax's shoulder, the other onto his still-swinging hand. The balance was tricky, but his other matches had proven that his dexterity was high enough.

Crack! Jax's hand smashed through the tiled floor of the Decimator Academy gym,

Brian leapt back into a defensive stance. Jax, gaped in astonishment, found his hand lodged firmly. With great effort, he wrenched his hand free.

“FUCK! Last time my fingers were this bent out of shape, I was trying to master the 'Triple-Thumbed Tranquil Crane' stance in an ancient martial art. Didn't quite nail it then, either.”

“Well, Brian, isn't this a fresh twist? Um, I guess, good match.” Jax extended his hand to Brian, fingers bent unnaturally in random directions.

Brian winced looking at Jax’s hand, imagining the pain.

“Ah, sorry.” With his other hand, Jax reached into his pocket, pulling out a small vial. Uncorking the vial, he tipped his head back, gulping down the vitality potion. Brian watched Jax’s Adam's apple bob. Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! That’s all it took, three sips per potion, and Jax’s fingers started snapping into place. He flexed his restored hand. “Amazing how these potions work, isn't it? Like, who was the first to discover that a particular mix of herbs, a touch of lunar dew and a tiny crushed piece of a valtite fragment could set a dislocated finger straight? It's all quite fascinating when you think about it.”

Darius called out, "Valtwood, you’ve managed to win one, and even inflicted some damage! Better late than never I suppose."