57 False Breakthrough

"I won't do it!"

"Quit acting like you got a choice!"

"Quit acting like you can boss me around!"

"I'll break every bone in your body if you don't comply!"

"If I go through with it then the chances of every bone in my body disintegrating is higher than you physically breaking them." Milas couldn't believe what Van was suggesting.

"If I had known that you'd be so cowardly I wouldn't have told you of the risks." Van couldn't believe that the same idiot who gave his life to save someone he barely knew would be so afraid of a simple risk. "Your bones will heal even if it fails so quit being spineless!"

" Spineless is what I'll physically become if I listen to your deranged advice!"

" I won't argue with a little brat. If you don't want to listen to me willingly then I'll force you." Van had had enough of Milas' complains to last him a month. He would have performed the false breakthrough by controlling the blood energy in Milas' body but it wasn't so simple. The only thing that allowed him to talk to Milas in the first place was the excess energy.

Van's conciousness faded back into the recesses of Milas' mind but the latter had already shrugged off the phoenix's threat. Milas was now messing with the bracelet and he could only shake his head in regret. Asher had raised his expectations on the uses of the bracelet and reality was a little underwhelming.

Other than the clock function, the bracelet could also track down other bracelets but this required approval from the owner. Milas found two pending requests both from Step. He chuckled to himself and accepted the most recent. Milas tested the tracking ability and an ethereal arrow appeared above the bracelet.

' So it only shows the general direction huh? This is amazing but also troublesome. It means that I'll have to leave this behind to have any hope of leaving this place.'

Milas was aware of the benefits offered by the bracelet but the risk of being tracked down was high. Only time would tell if the benefits outweigh the risks. Milas continued to adjust and perfect his escape plan. He wasn't in a rush to leave just yet since this was the only place he could learn more about his abilities.

' The old bird could have taught me but his suggestions seem intent on killing me. I guess I'll just have to use what I've learned to improve on myself. ' With that thought, Milas laid back onto the bed and stared at the white ceiling.

He stayed like this for a few minutes before his eyes unfocused and slowly rolled to the back of his head, leaving only the whites visible. This was the result of Milas' training before the test. He was trying to keep his senses active while he cultivated and it was proving to be a challenge.

He could already use his hearing even when deep in cultivation but his eyes refused to stay focused. Milas planned on mastering this technique before proceeding with his plan. Milas was disappointed by his slow progress but he could only blame it on the fact that he had only recently become a vampire.

' I've been mistreated for being weak just because the weak have no rights. I finally have a shot at gaining power and I won't give it up. No more excuses. No more regrets. I'll reach the peak of strength and impose my ideals on the world. I swear to submerge the world in the same pit of despair that it put me in.'

With that silent vow Milas entered the state of meditation. He could faintly hear Van's laughter but he didn't let it distract him. This wasn't the first time he said that specific vow to himself and it also wasn't the first time Van laughed at him.

Milas' conciousness focused on the blood energy that flowed through his veins and arteries. He had observed this so many times but it never ceased to amaze him. He could feel his blood rushing through his arteries and could feel the somewhat gentle movements as it flowed through his veins.

This was perfection to Milas. The pattern that most would find chaotic was nothing short of magnificent in Milas' eyes. The transition from arteries to veins, the maze like pathways that connected multiple organs and the heart that pumped blood through this breathtaking labyrinth.

It was through this labyrinth that Milas' blood energy flowed. It seemed to be bonded with his blood flow but also entirely separate. The blood energy would flow in the same direction and speed as his blood most of the time. But there were times when it would flow backwards or even leave his veins to pass through his bones like an ethereal string. The unpredictable flow was anchored by the blood crystal in his heart.

Milas finally focused on the blood crystal as it pulsed. He noticed that it had fallen out of sync with his heartbeat, pulsing twice for each beat. Milas tried to rein in the excess blood energy that leaked with each pulse by speeding up the energy flow.

In Milas' room, a youth lay on the bed with his eyes open but only the whites were visible. His brown pupils slowly returned into view looking dilated and unfocused. A bright red glow rose from their depths and his mouth opened almost to the point of breaking his jaw. His exposed canines lengthened and sharpened as his fingernails transformed into deadly claws.

Milas stayed in this state for almost half an hour. He was currently screaming in pain on the inside while cursing at Van. His body started to twitch before descending into violent convulsions. A high pitched, banshee like wail came from Milas' throat.

The noise reached both Asher and the boarding master. They immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed to the source of the sound. Despite being closer and knowing exactly where the sound came from, Asher still found the boarding master standing outside Milas' room.

Peeking into the room, Asher saw Milas twisting his body in unnatural angles that would break the bones of most people. His wailing increased in octaves as time passed. Asher tried to enter the room and find a way of assisting Milas but was stopped by the boarding master.

"He is going through a breakthrough and there's nothing we can do to help." The boarding master said calmly but his thoughts were the opposite of this. 'How is someone so young having a breakthrough? Did the Great Elder do something to him? And wasn't he supposed to be dead? Just what the hell is going on here?'

"What do you mean by breakthrough? And how can he do it when we haven't been taught how to do it in the first place?" Asher immediately asked the boarding master. He knew that breakthroughs were fatal when performed without proper preparations. Even ignoring the fact that Milas probably had no idea on how to do it, how could a guy who came back to life a little over an hour ago hope to survive such a thing.

" If you haven't been taught how to breakthrough then he shouldn't have been able to even start the process. The fact that he's in the middle of a breakthrough means that he was aware of the dangers and still went ahead with it." If Milas had known what was said he would probably have started plotting the boarding master's demise. Why the hell would he risk death when he was basically dead sometime ago.

Alas, Milas was to busy experiencing unimaginable pain to even notice the two men. The energy that was causing all the pain was rapidly subsiding. His body was trying to heal all the internal injuries he received. His breathing eased and his fangs and claws retracted. His mouth closed but his teeth were grinding against each other and a deep frown was on his face.

Meanwhile, inside Van's conciousness space.

"What the hell did you do to me you feathered c*nt!? Do you kno..." Milas' mouth was covered by hardened blood effectively shutting him up.

"I could have killed you for raising your voice but I restrained myself and you have the audacity to insult me! It's true what they say, give them a cottage and they'll ask for a kingdom. Well here's a lesson for you, if you lack the strength to impose your so called ideals on someone then don't piss them off."

Van rose from the throne he always sat on towering over Milas. "Your body will be in pain once the process ends so it's only fair that your soul feels the same. Prepare yourself child, I'm about to impose my ideals on you."

Van finished his short speech with an evil chuckle. Milas lowered himself into a stance and locked onto Van. He raised his fists and eased his breathing as he prepared to fight for his life. He finally entered the perfect mental state but his opponent blurred and vanished.

In Milas' room.

Milas opened his eyes to see Asher and the boarding master standing over him. He didn't even pay them any mind as he was occupied by the words of Van.

"You survived your first false breakthrough, can't wait to do this again next time."