Chapter 151
Daniel could not help but feel a little overwhelmed as he stared at the elder, who was looking at both of them with a calm expression.
The air seemed heavier under Sigfor’s gaze, each second stretching into an eternity.
His mind worked, trying to comprehend the vast difference in their powers.
Every fiber of his being was trying to understand the chasm that separated them.
He gulped, realizing how rude he might have been to such a powerful person.
However, on second thought, the elder was indeed quite annoying, so he quickly discarded the growing admiration.
He shook his head slightly, pushing away the fleeting respect.
He asked the elder, “Elder, what was that move just now?”
“It was an exorcism technique focused on destruction and offense.”
“Could you teach it to me!?” Daniel, who heard the elder’s words, instantly threw everything to the back of his mind and asked with a pleading expression.
His voice wavered, a mix of eagerness and desperation.
His eyes shone with desperate hope.
If he could learn something this powerful, then…
Just imagining it made him clench his fists.
“No.”
However, Sigfor’s flat rejection instantly shattered his wild imaginings.
“WHAT!? Why though?” He could not understand. His fists unclenched, frustration etched on his face.
His face flushed with anger and confusion.
“The technique is not suitable for your rank right now. You would need to have at least five times the espera you currently have to even dare to think of using this technique. It’s just this demanding and destructive. Not to mention the extreme control it requires. Given your bearings, I would not be surprised if you blow yourself up the moment you try.”
Sigfor plainly commented, making Daniel grit his teeth. He was determined to learn this in the future.
“Also, your clan should have a more suitable version of this technique, so ask them when you return. My element does not work similarly to yours,” he added further.
“I understand. Can I ask the name of this technique?”
“Crane Beam. Now go back to your position.”
Sigfor dismissed him quickly. His tone was final, leaving no room for argument.
Daniel, having learned the name of the technique, made a note to himself to ask his father to teach it to him later on. Determination burned in his eyes as he returned to his place.
His mind was already planning the next steps, each one bringing him closer to his goal.
___________
“Next, Evelyn and Oliver, it’s your turn now.”
Sigfor called out to them.
Oliver and Evelyn soon replaced Daniel and Nadia by taking their place.
“Show your elemental construct,” Sigfor said as he folded his arms and looked at them keenly. His eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity piqued.
He was curious what they had come up with…
And how could he not be?
Both of them were exceptional talents.
However, their elements were not really compatible according to him.
Light and water elements were not exactly the most destructive elements.
At least not until the individual progressed to higher levels and had more mastery over their elements.
At their level, being Rank-1 exorcists, they did not have that level of control and mastery yet.
So he did not have much hope for them to come up with something powerful and destructive like the previous two duos.
In most cases, they could either come up with something related to healing or defense.
It was understandable. Both water and light elements, if used properly and effectively, could create some of the most powerful healing techniques known to mankind or some extremely sturdy and creative barriers.
He wanted to see what these two exceptional kids had come up with. His fingers tapped lightly against his arm, a subtle sign of his anticipation.
“I am ready.” Evelyn motioned towards Oliver as she signaled for him to start.
Oliver nodded and stretched out his hand in front of him, his palm facing the ground.
Espera started to channel through his fingers as puddles of water began to form in front of him, near his feet.
He did not stop and kept his hand in the same position as more and more puddles of water started to appear on the ground in front of him.
A moment later, the ground was filled with multiple puddles of water. Using moisture as a medium in the damp environment where they were, he was easily able to form so many puddles.
The glistening puddles reflected the faint light, creating a shimmering effect.
Was it a coincidence that they were in a damp environment to begin with, or was this the effect of his level-4 luck?
There was always some level of moisture or water vapor present in the air at all times. It was not difficult for him to gather them and use espera to give them proper shape or expand them.
Just when everyone was watching curiously, wondering what the water puddles were for, Oliver did something again.
His palm, facing towards the puddles, clenched into a fist as the water beneath shook violently.
The water puddles shook and started to float above the ground, rising in the air in front of him.
Now the water puddles were at his eye level, in wobbly shapes and sizes. His eyes turned sharp as he kept his fist towards them.
Swish!
He suddenly opened the clenched fist and tremendous espera began to ooze out of it. The espera flowed as if a dam had broken loose; it was almost leaking!
The air buzzed with energy, making the hair on their arms stand up.
Every single person present in that area felt the tremendous amount of espera coming out of his body.
Sigfor’s expression hardened as his eyes shook slightly. He could feel it.
The overflowing espera coming out of the body of the kid barely Rank-1…
The espera was dense and powerful, overpowering everything around. The most striking thing was the overwhelming amount of it radiating out of his body.
Was this supposed to be the amount of espera a Rank-1 exorcist should have?
Sigfor questioned himself but he knew the answer better than anyone else present.
No.
The espera was way stronger and more potent than any Rank-1 could muster.
The sheer quantity radiating out of Oliver’s body was way, way higher than any Rank-1 he had ever met or seen in his decades of experience.
‘Twice? Thrice?’
He calculated the number of times his espera amount was when compared to an ordinary Rank-1.
‘No… it’s close to seven times!’
The moment he realized this, Sigfor’s body stiffened up.
He could not comprehend what was taking place in front of him.
How could a kid with barely above-average espera suddenly radiate seven times the amount of espera?
His mind raced, considering and discarding explanations.
Was this the play of an artifact?
It was possible if the kid was using an artifact that held the capability to store and release espera at will.
But he could not see any such artifacts on him. His senses were sharp; he was confident he would have been able to locate an artifact easily unless he hid it really well and deep with another stealth artifact, which he clearly did not do.
So it was his natural espera. The realization sent a chill down Sigfor’s spine.
Sigfor’s fingers trembled as he felt the incomparably dense espera. He had to admit that Oliver was definitely an anomaly.
He took a deep breath as he kept his mind focused on what they were going to show. His heart could not help but beat faster in excitement. The thrill of witnessing such potential was undeniable.
He patiently watched them perform. He looked at the barrier he had erected using a special barrier talisman. There were some visible changes happening to the barrier too, not visible to the naked, inexperienced eye.
At the top edge of the barrier, he could see it ripple continuously, clearly being affected by the tremendous espera gathering and interfering with it from inside.
He shook his head. The barrier talisman that he had used was at best suited for Rank-2 exorcists, yet seeing it ripple in such a way made his heart have complex emotions.
He did not expect that someone among them would be able to interfere with his barrier.
He pointed his finger at the ripples and in the next moment, they paused as the barrier seemed to have become strengthened compared to before since Oliver’s espera was no longer interfering with it.
Oliver’s brows aligned as he keenly gazed at the wobbly water puddles in front of him slowly changing their shapes.
The espera focused on the water started to act and reshape the puddles, turning them into spherical forms, flattening their surfaces. The water glistened, reflecting the light in mesmerizing patterns.
The whole air was filled with multiple spherical water balls and mirror-like surfaces.
The water was polished and still as the espera kept them stabilized in the air.