The Technique (4)

As I opened my eyes, I realized that I could finally see again.

And as I thought about what happened,

"That f*cker, this is what he meant by optimizing the process". I couldn't help but blurt out in anger.

I thought it would be failsafe, but it wasn't safe at all.

The pain was unbearable, and for what? Just for me to end up getting blind.

I need to explain this to him.

*****

"I see, so it should have been a little more to the right?" He said while nodding.

"Yes, this is what you said, but I have another question. Why do I become blind?" I asked, confused.

He stopped nodding his head, and he looked at me.

"What do you mean? I have never tried this before, so obviously there are going to be some flaws". He said it again, as if it were obvious.

Why does he keep saying stuff like it's obvious? I don't know anything at all, so how should all of this be obvious to me?

He was starting to annoy me, but as he looked at me, he noticed my annoyed look.

"Well, there is no one forcing you to do this. You can also slowly try to break the barrier yourself, but it's going to take some years. So do what you want". He said this while shrugging his shoulders.

'He was right'. There is no one forcing me to do it this way, except for the previous version of him.

Whoever did it without asking for my consent, even if he did, I already knew the answer.

"No, please keep doing it". I said while bowing my head.

I couldn't afford to waste more time. The more time I waste here in this tower, the bigger the chances are for me to become more insane.

"That is more like it!". He said it with excitement while putting his hand in front of my eyes, like last time.

As I prepared for the pain, I noticed that he hadn't started yet.

"Why are you not starting?" I asked, confused again.

"Was it my right side? Or your right side?". He asked with the same tone of confusion.

'This piece of sh*t'. My right side, or his right side?

He didn't say anything like that last time. He just said that it should have been a little more to the right.

"You only said it should have been a little more to the right; you didn't specify if it was my right side or your right side". I raised my voice in anger.

"Hahaha, my bad. I can probably guess it, since it was me who said it. From now on, every direction I say to you will be from my side".

Slowly, the warm feeling in his hand started again.

Just a little warm, to suddenly a burning pain. After a minute or so, I could feel something break, and the burning pain stopped again.

But it was still pitch black, so I understood what happened.

"I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the previous person meant it from my side, so I did it a little to the right. The bad news is that I still missed, so tell the next one a little more to the left".

[Skill activation]

- Perfect Clear [X]

[Returning to the moment you first entered this floor]

"You son of -"

*****

"So, at first it was a little to the right, and then it was a little more to the left?" He asked.

"Yes, that is what you said, and it's your left, not my left".

But after he did it two times, I realized something. How does he exactly know where to gather his mana?

I know that he says that it's either to the left or the right, but where exactly is that?

Does he start somewhere specific? Because if he just says it to the left or right, his next version could overshoot it by a lot.

Making it a lot more random. Meaning that the only way for him to break the barrier would be by luck.

And why do I keep going blind after he does it wrong?

"How do you know where to gather your mana if the only direction you are getting is right or left?".

I had to ask because I was so curious.

"Good question. I assume that my first version started in the middle of the eye. And after that version, it said that it was a little to the right. I assume my previous version started in the middle of the right half of your eye.

And now that he said it was a little to the left, I can start in the middle of the left. Essentially getting twice as close each time and not losing the reference". He explained it gently.

'Ahh!'

That makes sense, so it was like he had to find my number. And the only way for me to help him was for me to say higher or lower.

So he would start at a high number, and I would say that my number was lower. Then he would say a very low number, and I would say that it was higher.

Each time, we would get closer and closer to my real number.

But that raised another question of mine: did it have to be a random number?

I know that he is supposed to break the barrier that is blocking me from gathering mana. But didn't he already break his own barrier? Wouldn't mine be at the same place?

"If you already broke your own barrier, couldn't you break my barrier at the exact same place?" I asked, confused.

"It doesn't work like that. Each person's barrier is at a random place; it's not the same place for every person. Otherwise, it would have been very easy to break through the barrier that stops you from gathering mana for your eyes". He explained it again as if it were obvious.

I could already guess that it worked something like that, but why does breaking the barrier end up with me becoming blind?

"What about me becoming blind?"

"That's just a consequence for me to break the barrier forcefully. That's why I need to find the sweet spot where you can still keep your vision, so you don't regress.

Because the next step after breaking the barrier is very crucial. When you try to break the barrier yourself, it becomes slow because you want to find that sweet spot so you don't end up blind". He explained as he slowly covered my eyes with his hand.

'I understand now'.

"So, are you ready?". He asked, waiting for my answer.

"Yes, please try again".