Chapter 99 - Good Insulation

A single unknown element can break a system and cripple the mainframe. A small complication could easily become an issue that can take years to fix. This is true, especially in the world of novel writing. A single diversion from the main plot can lead to the complete derailment of the entire story, leaving everyone and everything in the dust.

Simon had learnt very well from his mistakes and decided that his book would not feature a 'main storyline', instead showing a world and how everyone interacted to create the ending. Such a task could not be written by just anyone. Simon spent countless days and nights going through complex loops in thought and analysing complex social interactions for the sake of his project. 

Essentially, Simon wanted to play god. He wanted to create a world in a book which there was no unknown and all to be known. He would call it his own world of his imagination and be satisfied as a writer. Complex world building, something he never thought he would be able to do.

"Some things take effort to create, other things create talent. Some things are things while other things aren't things or things. Things are things." Simon said to himself as he read out a line from his novel.

"This will not do! How can anyone understand this? Let alone enjoy it?" 

Simon furiously scribbled some new words and dissipated the ink that came before it, printing out a much more suitable and understandable line of text.

"Creation is an art." Simon smiled as he read out his new line.

"Very very good! Thank goodness I decided to edit it one last time. It may have taken 100 full cycle reads but I finally found the elusive error. I guess I should start packing up for now. I did promise to teach the kids how to cast [Shock]."

Simon closed the huge book and waved his hand over it, watching as the book phased out of being. Afterwards, Simon left and headed towards the disciple dormitory.

"Just a small lesson, these kids should learn it in no time."

Two weeks later:

"Jack! Would you please go easy on me? I'm really not strong enough to spar with you… I'm not trying to be lazy, I promise."

"You have not trained in the week! Master would be disappointed if he saw you doing this. Do you know how much he has invested in all of us? LET ME SHOW YOU!"

Jack blankly stared at a boy in front of him as he thrusted his arm to his side and pointed his index towards a wall.

ZAAPPPP

A bolt of energy blasted from his fingertip, zooming to the side before leaving a huge charred mark on the wall. While it may not seem like anything special, the kids knew that these walls were not made out of anything weak. If they were, the kids would have tried using the walls for punching practice.

"I have already progressed to the 5th rank of Visionary. You have only progressed as far as the 3rd rank. You are more talented than me but you don't respect master!" Jack yelled out of rage, letting out an aura that bordered killing intent.

"That is not fair! Not everyone can spend day and night practicing like a freak!" The boy responded angrily.

Jack looked at the boy straight in the eyes and scowled. "Then why are you even here?"

Jack left without saying another word, turning his back on the boy. As to what caused all of this anger? It was rather simple. Jack caught the boy idling for the fifth time of the same week. This enraged the hardworking kid and made him want to teach that boy a lesson.

Sure that boy can laze around in his own time, but not during training exercises.

"Hey Tyrone. What's your progress this week?" Jack asked as he made his way back to Tyrone.

"Hmmm… I managed to breakthrough yesterday, now I am at the peak of the fourth rank. Although I am working myself to the bone, I just can't seem to match your pressure and intensity." Tyrone complained childishly.

"You're the one that wants to take two hour bathes. I just so happen to be training while you are bathing. My motto is 'train till you drop!', it has never failed me!" Jack laughed as he patted Tyrone's shoulder.

"Sure sure. Master does not care if you are talented, he just cares about your efforts and success. I am glad to be here." 

BOOM

"JACK! It seems like someone just broke through to the fifth rank!"

Jack turned around and saw a pulse of energy surge past him with a thunderous speed, pushing him a metre backwards. A small cloud of dust covered the epicentre of the pulse, but Jack could still make out a figure, albeit barely.

"It's Simon!" 

He suddenly saw Simon walk out of the dust with a newfound sense of power. Like a titan dominating humanity, a dark horse was born.

"Simon Grey, another hidden monster." A random kid commented after catching his breath.

"I really did not expect Simon to be this strong! I thought Michelle was damaging his practice time." Jack commented to himself.

"Thank goodness. Now I don't have to complain to master about Michelle." He silently felt like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

BOOOM

Another loud noise could be heard as someone else broke through.

"DAMN! SOMEONE ELSE IS BREAKING THROUGH! BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

A powerful wave of pressure knocked everyone in the room to the ground, especially the kids that were more lazy in their training, breaking a few bones but not killing anyone. Simon was not stupid enough to forget basic safety requirements for the training room.

"It is Mark Hale! He has broken through straight to the 2nd vision of the rank!" Someone yelled in awe while kneeling down.

'Are these kids monsters?' Is what any ordinary human would say if they saw these kids right now. Even a 3rd rank 8 year old was scary enough. Now there were 5th rank 8 year olds with terrifying combat potential which rivalled Devil nobility. Such beings should not exist in a small realm like this. Alas, Simon should not exist, yet he does. He defies every convention of a mortal in the realm. No other being would be able to replicate his deeds.

BOOOOOOM

"WHAT THE F**K! SOMEONE ELSE IS BREAKING THROUGH! ITS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN MARK!"

"Stop swearing, or I will tell master!" Some other kid shouted in response.

This wave of pressure was unlike the others, physically manifesting a golden glow as it immersed the room in warm energy. Rather than harming, it soothed.

"Sienna Fey! She just broke through to the 4th vision of 5th rank!"

It was as if all of the breakthroughs had began a chain reaction which began surging everyone's VP and causing them to instantly begin growing in power and raw energy.

"REFINE WHILE YOU STILL CAN! DON'T WORRY ABOUT FOUNDATIONS! MASTER ALREADY GAVE US THE TECHNIQUE TO BREAKTHROUGH WITHOUT ISSUES!"

Suddenly everyone began breaking though, even people that had just broken though had broken through again. As energy courses back and forth and got amplified hundreds of times by others breaking through, the cycle could continue for eternity if the room could handle such a thing. Unfortunately, this room could not handle the breakthroughs of every single disciple, especially when they were breaking through so fast.

BOOOOM

"James, Jack, Tyrone, Sam, Michelle, Sienna, Mark, and Simon have all somehow managed to break through to the 6th rank… how is this possible?! Even I only managed to break into the peak of 4th rank. I should really practice more."

Just as everything began to quiet down, the powerful scent of VP leaked out of the room and immersed the rest of the palace in its presence.

BOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

"OH MY GAWD!!! WHAT IS GOING ON?!!!"

"WE ARE BEING BOMBED!!!"

All of the kids began panicking as they heard the sounds of much more powerful explosions happening all around them.

Malece's throne room:

"Hoh? Seems like I just managed to break through from that weird surge of energy, it's not stopping either… I think I might break through again!"

Blood Guardian Training Hall:

BOOOOOOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

*Inaudible overcompensation noises*

"Lenn has broken through to the 9th rank!"

"Coliart has also broken through to the 9th rank!"

"What is this powerful energy?! It's cycling back and forth and it is not stopping! We must suppress it by breaking through!" Alas this idea would be great in any other situation. But now they were only making the reaction more powerful. Even a Devil Magician would be able to feel a considerable shock when witnessing the scene.

It was like a cloud of energy had enveloped the mansion and could not get out, and every single time it induced a breakthrough, the cloud grew more dense and caused even more breakthroughs.

Simon's room:

"Huh? What is this?"

CLICK