Ash woke on the morning of Day 15 fully recovered.
The drain from the Omni Battle Form three days earlier had faded completely. His mental energy sat at a comfortable level again. His body felt dense, quiet, and ready. He sat cross-legged in the center of Training Room Seven, closed his eyes, and returned to the work without ceremony.
His mindscape opened easily.
The golden lattice of the Omni Combat Art floated in the dark, clearer than it had been on the first day he touched it, yet still mostly closed. The outer layers he had already comprehended shone with steady light. Beyond them the structure grew thick and heavy, like frosted glass that refused to turn transparent.
Ash looked at it for a long moment.
"Seven percent got me this far," he said quietly to the empty room. "Let's see what is beyond 7% mastery.."
He split his consciousness.
