Marshal activated their bond connection for synchronization. Lucian braced himself as the link formed.
The heat SLAMMED into his body like a physical wall. Not painful exactly, but intensely uncomfortable pressure.
Like standing directly beside a roaring furnace.
But at least his stats increased modestly. STR from 18 to 23. AGI from 15 to 20. VIT from 16 to 21. INT from 20 to 25.
He could actually feel solar magic flowing through his veins now. It was strange but not dangerous.
Lucian gasped but stayed on his feet. "This is manageable for me... I think."
"That was only five percent," Marshal said without emotion. "And here is the real ten percent I will give to you."
She made the connection stronger.
The pressure DOUBLED right away, making it almost impossible to bear. Stats went up a lot.
STR going up to 28. AGI to 25. VIT until 26. INT to 30.
Lucian's body temperature rose so high that sweat evaporated as soon as it formed. The intensity made his vision blurry. His legs shook so hard that they looked like they would give out completely.
[WARNING: SYNCHRONIZATION STRAIN DETECTED]
[Master's body approaching absolute tolerance limit]
[Damage sharing may cause permanent injury]
[Recommendation: Disconnect immediately]
"Fuck it...!" Lucian fought hard to keep the connection going. "I can do this because I want to become stronger for my warriors!"
But his body strongly disagreed with what he had in mind. Muscles spasmed from magical overload. Breathing became ragged and labored. His heart raced dangerously fast.
This was only TEN PERCENT of Marshal's full power. The realization was humbling and terrifying. She was THIS much stronger than Glacielle, and he could barely handle a fraction of it.
When she saw that his condition was getting worse, Marshal immediately cut off the connection. Lucian fell to his knees, gasping for air like a man who was about to drown.
"Hah...! Hah...! Hah...!"
"Why...? Why did you do that...?"
"That's more than enough," she said, not in a mocking way, but in a clinical way. "Any more would hurt your spiritual pathways for good."
"Your foundation is too weak for my full power, and for now... Glacielle's strength is manageable for you, but mine isn't yet, at least."
She got down on her knees so she could see him. "Recognize this as failure, rookie."
"This is the setting of your BASELINE!"
"Now you know how far you have to go, so I suppose you start learning the Dragon Breathing Technique right away, and it will strengthen your spiritual foundation over time."
"With a few weeks of hard work, you might be able to handle twenty percent. And... with a few months of hard work, you might be able to handle fifty percent."
"That's what good training is for."
Glacielle ran over with water and helped him sit up straight.
"Master, are you okay?" She sounded worried.
"I'm fine," Lucian managed with an exhausted smile. "Just thoroughly humbled."
"I thought I was getting stronger, but it turns out I'm still basically a beginner."
...
Later that evening, after training concluded and Marshal went to check the camp perimeter, Lucian sat recovering by the campfire. His body ached everywhere but wasn't seriously injured.
"Sheesh... this new life really is going to be a hardcore mode for me, but I won't act like a pussy and give up on it!" Lucian clenched his fist. "I have to become stronger for them all!"
Glacielle sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders touched. And then there's a comfortable silence stretched between them for several minutes.
Then she spoke softly. "Master, to be honest... you've grown so much in just these few days."
"From recklessly charging in to making thoughtful decisions."
"From hiding behind me to standing beside me as an equal partner."
"I'm genuinely proud of you."
Lucian looked at her, emotion clear on his face. "I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"You believed in me when I was just a dying convenience store worker with nothing to offer."
"You fought for me when I absolutely didn't deserve it. And you're still here after I nearly got us both killed."
Glacielle's usual stoic face became very soft. "Master, I have something important to tell you..."
"When I offered to help you relax that night at the inn, it wasn't just to get more power."
She paused, choosing her next words with obvious care. "I WANTED to be close to you."
"Not because the system recommended it, but because you make me feel genuinely alive again."
"After centuries of isolation in the summoning realm, you gave me real purpose and meaning."
Something other than fatigue from training caused Lucian's heart to race. "Glacielle, I—"
She softly touched his lips with one finger. "You don't have to say anything right now."
"Just know that I'm not following you because I have to or because of some magical bond..."
"I'm here because I choose to be and because you're worth following and fighting alongside."
They moved even closer together, and her head finally rested on his shoulder, which was a very rare sign of closeness.
'This is...' Lucian thought while looking at her calm face, and then he felt the motivation rush inside him. 'Yeah... I'm doing this for Glacielle... I don't want to be a burden for her...'
Lucian's arm slowly went around her waist, and she didn't pull away. Instead, she relaxed into his arms.
Stars appeared in the sky. The fire made a peaceful crackling sound. There was no need for words; just being there and understanding each other was enough.
[Bond Level: 5.0 Hearts - Maximum depth achieved]
[Deep emotional connection permanently established]
[Glacielle's loyalty is now ABSOLUTE and unconditional]
[New synchronization features unlocked]
[Enhanced combat coordination available]
[Note: This bond transcends all system mechanics]
'Whoa... so it's 5.0, huh? Does that mean I can do whatever—nope, I need to be respectful for that and let her do it first.'
When Marshal got back from her patrol, she saw them together and stopped at the edge of the firelight. She didn't cut in or make fun of what they were saying.
They looked at them for a moment with what might have been real approval, then quietly left to give them space.
She thought, "Maybe he's worth the trouble after all."
Late that night, after Glacielle had fallen asleep, Lucian remained awake. His mind raced from the day's intense events.
He remembered the Ancient Dragon Breathing Technique scroll and carefully broke the wax seal.
The parchment was ancient but perfectly preserved, written in common language through translation magic. The title read: "Foundation of the Celestial Breath—For Those Who Reach Beyond Their Mortal Limits."
The explanation of the technique was surprisingly clear. The core of all beings was spiritual, and it was what channeled magical power.
Mortals had small foundations, severely limiting how much borrowed strength they could handle. Dragons had vast foundations, allowing immense power to flow freely.
But mortals could systematically EXPAND their foundations through proper breathing techniques practiced with discipline and patience, which would enable them to gradually increase their capacity to harness and control borrowed strength over time.
The method for stage one involved sitting in a meditative position with the spine perfectly straight. Breathe in for eight counts, pulling environmental energy inward.
Hold for four counts, circulating them through the spiritual core. Breathe out for eight counts, releasing accumulated impurities.
Repeat for a minimum of thirty minutes daily.
The effects would show up slowly. The first and second weeks saw small increases in energy capacity.
It was much easier to channel magic during weeks three and four. Months two and three made it possible to handle stronger synchronization, which allowed for more effective use of energy and improved magical abilities.
Six months of focused practice created a base that was as strong as that of trained warriors. In theory, a year or more could get close to dragon-level power.
The scroll had a stern warning: "Don't rush growth."
"Forcing expansion damages the foundation forever and irreparably."
"Consistency is much more important than intensity."
"Train your body and spirit together for the best results."