“It’s been half an hour,” Nikki muttered. “He is just breathing, nothing else.”
Anton had a frown on his face as he scanned Almond, “Should we take him out of the dungeon and check-up at the GAA branch here? He might be in a coma.”
“Umm, I think Master is fine,” Sylvia said as she tilted her head. “He is not in a coma, at least. He is active. His soul is.”
“Indeed,” Infernal Knight nodded with his arms crossed.
“Lord is fine, bwahaha. It’s only a matter of time before he wakes up,” Benedict laughed, appearing carefree.
And it was then that something strange happened.
A strong electrical aura and pulse spread out of Almond.
The thunder in the sky above this part rumbled as the dark clouds gathered above, crackling with lightning.
“This…” Nikki was shocked to feel such a pure lightning aura oozing out of Almond.
“He’s attracting lightning elements,” Anton blinked as he took a few steps back away from Almond. “Get away from him. It’s going to rain lightning with how the lightning elements in the atmosphere are behaving here.”
Just as he finished speaking, a pale yellow shining lightning bolt flashed and struck Almond. But strangely, that lightning shattered into electrical sparks, forming a strange field around him.
Almond’s eyes opened as more and more lightning bolts struck him, one every second as he floated up, his body crackling with lightning. It coursed through his blood, bones, and flesh without hurting him.
“This feels crazy good,” Almond said, his eyes flickering with electric current. It was like he gained a new pair of lenses to watch the world, tailored to discovering the world of lightning.
“This can’t be,” Nikki was dumbfounded as she uttered in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you reached S-rank? This phenomenon…I am sure it appears only when someone reaches S-rank in an elemental mastery.”
Anton muttered, his face incredulous, “How? How can you reach S-rank this fast? We’ve been training for two years periodically and only reached freaking A-rank lightning mastery.”
“I don’t know,” Almond shrugged as he smiled and deactivated the lightning attraction that was automatically turned on.
“This was honestly unexpected,” he chuckled as he landed on the ground. “I did a gamble, and it paid off.”
He wasn’t going to reveal that he had adjusted his psyche using his specialized class power to enhance his Focus intensity before gambling on this dangerous method, and it worked wonders—giving him a sort of enlightenment of lightning that he induced onto himself by dancing between life and death.
“Anyway, how long was I out for?” Almond asked as he looked at his Lightning Elemental Mastery.
[Lightning Elemental Mastery]
[-Skill rank: S (Next rank progress: 18%)]
↳ You can transmute your Mana into lightning and give it lightning’s properties. You have total control over your lighting and high control over atmospheric lightning-attributed phenomena.
[-Variant(s)]
↳ Golden Haze Lightning—[23%/100%]
[-Effects when applying lightning attributes]
↳1. Lightning Elemental potency scaling with your Mana: 100%.
↳2. Shock potency—S-grade
↳3. Paralyse potency—S-grade.
↳4. Electromagnetism.
↳5. Lightning Psychophysiology.
“You were blanked away for roughly half an hour,” Nikki said, her eyes glinting. “Can you tell us the method you’ve applied?”
“We will pay for it if you don’t want to give it for free,” Anton followed up, his expression somber. “Valuable information is often sold at a price.”
Both of them felt that Almond had used some kind of method to cheat death after pulling that crazy stunt of getting his mind and body deeply assaulted by the lightning, a powerful magic lightning nonetheless.
The golden lightning of this dungeon was a variant, stronger than normal lightning, with some hidden effect that most probably only the boss of this dungeon properly wielded.
“I can tell you the method I’ve used, but it’s honestly very dangerous,” Almond wryly smiled. “I took on the danger because of two things. First, I was confident in my psyche to handle the influx of lightning’s essence into my body and mind. Second, the source of my confidence, which was the class skill that I can only use on myself. I used it to increase my chances of success. That’s how I used this dangerous method to my advantage.”
“Of course, I wasn’t expecting to get such a big progress,” Almond added with a chuckle. “This was a big surprise. According to the notification, I entered a state of getting deep insight into the way of lightning.”
Nikki and Anton were surprised but also finally understood why Almond succeeded.
“Boldness paired preparation that pulled luck on your side and resulted in this, huh?” Anton shook his head as he wryly smiled. “We definitely can’t replicate this even if we want to and try the same method.”
“True, but I can share an important insight that I realized today,” Almond faintly smiled. “An insight to enter a state where your ‘performance’ reaches its peak. A state in which things became easier for you to understand and execute.”
Nikki and Anton were instantly curious.
But it was not just them—Almond’s summons were also curious and became attentive.
“What is it, Master?” Sylvia curiously asked.
“I decided to name it the state of Singular Focus,” Almond grinned. “I have pinpointed out the condition required to enter this state, though that doesn’t make it any easier.”
“Of course, you may think I’m crazy, and that’s fine, but this is my stance on this state.”
“Say it already,” Nikki rolled her eyes.
Almond laughed and nodded, “Alright, so here it is. This state can be achieved when there’s a tough obstacle in front of you that you need to believe you can overcome. A challenge to rile up your mind, but also a challenge that is within the realm of possibility for you to accomplish. You must have adequate tools and skills at your disposal to believe this. Deluding yourself won’t work.”
“This challenge must also give you stress and fear, a threat of death or death-like devastation. A steep consequence for failing the challenge,” Almond narrowed his eyes. “In my case, it was death, the most primal cause of stress and fear.”
‘Experiencing twice already, I want to try it again…which may indicate there’s something wrong with me,’ Almond internally ruefully smiled. ‘I better calm down and stabilize myself before diving into this dangerous realm again.’
Almond continued his explanation, “So, in simple words, the key to entering this state of Singular focus is the balance between the thrill and fear of the challenge you have designated. Abandon all other thoughts, all distractions, and everything else aside from your singular focus of completing this challenge.”
Nikki and Anton were dazed. It was like they understood what he meant, but it felt absurd.
Seeing their expressions, Almond laughed and said, “There’s a reward, and there’s death. Move on this fine thread and dance.”
“That said, I hope Thunderbird group hasn’t defeated the boss yet,” Almond cracked his neck as his eyes flickered with lightning. “I want to have a duel with the boss and play with lightning in this dungeon more.”
After reading that Lightning Variant in the status, he was eager to reach 100% in it and unlock the Golden Haze Lightning! And he wouldn’t get the chance again because this dungeon would disappear 24 hours after defeating its final boss!