[Magical Powers: Inferno Ascension Technique (Level 4: Gluttonous Inferno, 45%)」
[Level 4 - Gluttonous Inferno: The flames of Gluttony empower the user to devour the life, spiritual, and mental force of chosen targets for themselves, refining it with the purest hellfire to form nutrients for themselves. The users can also grant this converted and purified essence to others with varying effects.]
That's right, Dante had achieved the fabled devouring all on his own!
Did this mean he could ditch the Absorption of the Apocalypse World? The answer was unfortunately, no. The Gluttonous Inferno did not give him energy that raised his body's quality or stats.
What it did was allow him to turn anything that had energy into purified essence for himself. The essence in this case was used for sustenance as well as to power his various abilities.
So basically, it allowed him to 'digest' faster whether it was energy bars or the energy pool. Whereas Dante had to lie for 6 hours, he could now directly absorb it and rely on his own ability to absorb it faster.
Dante decided to test it out. He left his Faraday cage and began practicing the Primal Ape technique, Advanced Knight chapter.
Dante's Advanced Knight training regimen was not for the faint of heart. It was a grueling and demanding routine that pushed a person's physical and mental limits, though not much for Dante given his stats surpassed even the most talented Advanced Knight for his stage.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the training grounds. Dante stood at its center, his body poised and his mind focused.
With a slow, deliberate inhale, he grounded himself, seemingly connecting with the very essence of the world around him. His stance mirrored that of the Silverback Ape, a posture of unwavering strength and readiness.
It was the foundation upon which the entire technique would unfold.
Dante began his routine by adopting the Ape's Resilience stance. He stood firm, his legs apart, mimicking the unwavering strength of the Silverback Ape.
This form cultivated his endurance, allowing him to withstand even the most grueling of battles. As he held the pose, his body pulsed with energy, a testament to the method's effectiveness.
With a deep inhalation, he transitioned into Echoing Roar. In this stance, he unleashed a mighty shout, echoing through the forest.
The vibrations resonated within him, strengthening his vocal cords and lungs. It was not just about the sound but the control over his breath. His scream reverberated with the power to unnerve foes.
Dante then moved into Graceful Swings. This form emphasized fluidity and balance.
He swayed gracefully, emulating the Silverback's agility despite its immense size. Each movement was like a dance, strengthening his control over his body.
Entering the Mighty Bellow form, he inhaled deeply, channeling his inner energy.
With a thunderous exhalation, he released a powerful shockwave of breath, mimicking the Silverback's ability to repel adversaries. The technique taught him to harness his breath as a weapon.
Thunderous Pounding followed, where Dante's fists struck the ground with force, sending tremors through the earth. It honed his physical strength, mirroring the Silverback's earth-shaking might.
In Branch Breaker, he focused on precision.
His hands moved with calculated intent, smashing through imaginary obstacles like a Silverback tearing through thick jungle foliage. This form sharpened his ability to target vulnerabilities in his foes.
With Agile Assault, his movements became swift and precise, as if he was navigating the dense canopy of the jungle. His footwork was a blur as he dodged imaginary attacks. This form enhanced his agility and reflexes.
In Ape's Embrace, Dante practiced the art of grappling.
He visualized himself entwined with his opponent, using leverage and technique to gain the upper hand. It was about control and restraint.
Raging Fury was a culmination of his training.
He unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next. It was a dance of aggression and control, a testament to his mastery of the Primal Ape technique.
Finally, he transitioned into Tranquil Reflection.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, he stood still, like the Silverback at rest. It was a moment of meditation, where he absorbed the lessons of the day and connected with the spirit of the Ape.
The life essence tempered his body, making it even more robust. While his physical stats remained unmatched in his current realm, this practice fortified him further. It was a relentless pursuit of perfection, even if it couldn't augment his already astonishing stats.
The hour flowed by like a river, and as Dante lowered his arms, he evaluated his progress. The Primal Ape technique, a peak knightly skill, was becoming an extension of himself. Despite lacking any special resources, his advancement was impressive.
[Physical Powers: Primal Ape Technique (Level 3: Advanced Knight, 4%).]
He did not possess his full energy, only about 2/3rds. Yet he managed to climb by 3%, which meant that at full tank, his progress per hour should be about 5%. This was a drop from 9% per hour at the previous realm, but was a great retention given that practice was harder at each realm.
Now that he was drained, Dante teleported to the energy pool and jumped in. Before his body could passively absorb, he activated his Gluttonous Inferno and began spreading his hellfire throughout the pool.
The greenish-blue water that sparkled with energy was coated with a black film that made it seem like oil. The fire blazed above the water and Dante felt torrents of energy enter into his body, far more purified and perfect than even what he passively absorbed.
His face changed greatly as he became saturated in just about 15 minutes of work. In just fifteen minutes, he was back to full tank with more energy per percentage than before in terms of quality, meaning his efficiency of consumption was higher.
Compared to the previous 6 hours it took when he had 1000 in all stats, this was truly shocking since he now had 1500! His tank had gotten way bigger and his consumption too had increased, yet the time it took to recharge was shortened exponentially.
This was the value of the 4th level, Gluttonous Inferno!
Dante rose from the pool that was immediately recharged with energy as it glittered like crystals. He stretched and felt his body was in great shape, which was perfect for what he was about to do next.
He teleported to his Faraday cage once more and sat cross-legged, this time delving deep into his mental world. There he saw two huge spiritual cores that shone in a dark purple light, filled with the elements of space.
Around them, new clumps of uncondensed spiritual power hung around, waiting to be gathered. That is naturally what Dante did, instantly gathering them into a third spiritual core and then polishing it so that it would be very firm.
Now, he was a half-step third-rank mage, and he naturally did not waste time completing the upgrade process. As usual, he directly reached outside of the boundary of void that protected his spiritual cores, which was his body, and then bullishly grabbed the space elements.
Even when he was at 500 points, he could easily do this, much less now. The space elements could only be dragged over whether it was willing or not, becoming a part of Dante's spiritual core.
In no time, the third spiritual core was filled to the brim with space elements, and a small shockwave of purple light was released from it as it was perfected. It resonated with the other two completed spiritual cores, and they pulsated at the same wavelength.
Dante felt his connection to the element of space increase even greater, and he wondered if it would have any benefits when comprehending his Quantum Entanglement.
[Magical Powers: Void Speaker Chant (Level 4: Advanced Wizard (3rd Rank), 4%).]
[Level 4: Advanced Wizard (3rd Rank)
Advanced Wizards gain a fundamental understanding of spatial manipulation. They can warp and distort space on a small scale, allowing for teleportation short distances and the creation of pocket dimensions to store items. Offensive spells become more formidable, with firestorms, freezing cyclones, and electric torrents within their capabilities.]
Dante was thoroughly satisfied. With his current spiritual power and intelligence, he was equivalent to a 7th Rank Archwizard in terms of power. At first, he hadn't been sure, but he simply searched the student forums for the Magus World to find a detailed list of Intelligence point values for the different ranks.
[Intelligence Point Average of Wizards in the Magus World - By: Lester Orhin-Jut
Unranked Apprentice Wizard: 1 - 50
1st Rank Novice Wizard: 100
2nd Rank Adept Wizard: 300
3rd Rank Advanced Wizard: 500
4th Rank Elite Wizard: 700
5th Rank Master Wizard: 1000
6th Rank Grand Wizard: 1300
7th Rank Archwizard: 1500
8th Rank Sage Wizard: 1700
9th Rank Grand Sage Wizard: 2000.]
When he was at 500 points in all stats, Master Elandor stated he was equivalent to a 3rd Rank mage. When he hit a thousand, it was said that Dante was equivalent to the 5th Rank.
Now that he had 1500, it was clear which level he was at.