Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 108: Abyssal Conqueror’s Step II

CH108 Abyssal Conqueror’s Step II

***

”Third Step...”

Shinnggg!

Under Alex’s incredulous gaze, Earl Drake suddenly blinked across the training hall, appearing on the far end of the room in a flash of speed.

”Third Step: Wraith Crossing,” the Earl said, before blinking again—this time reappearing directly in front of Alex.

”As you can tell, it’s a high-speed movement technique. Primarily, it’s used for rapid traversal, but it can also be employed in combat to close large distances swiftly. Just be warned—it requires a massive mana capacity to sustain.”

He gave Alex a meaningful look.

”In fact, both the third and fourth steps are inadvisable in battle unless you’ve reached at least the Veteran rank. Even then, most Veterans can barely afford to use it.”

Earl Drake’s warning was clearly well-intentioned, but it had the opposite effect. Internally, Alex was beaming.

’If only he knew...’

Thanks to his [Extreme Mana Capacity] talent, Alex could, in theory, use Wraith Crossing in combat even before reaching the Veteran rank—albeit not for prolonged periods.

Outwardly, however, he wore the face of a model student: calm, attentive, and slightly awed.

Earl Drake continued, unaware of the hidden smile behind Alex’s eyes.

”Because it’s a high-speed movement technique, Wraith Crossing is naturally well-suited to my Lightning affinity—thus, it’s the technique I use the most. However, don’t underestimate the role of the Darkness affinity. It allows one to merge with shadows and shift between them, drastically altering the range and direction of movement.”

He raised a brow and added, ”In the right environment, using Darkness may even result in faster travel time than Lightning.”

”And if one uses Netherspark,” Alex interjected, ”they can utilise both the raw speed of Lightning and the shadow-shifting speed of Darkness.”

”Exactly.” Earl Drake smiled approvingly.

As always, once the underlying principles and risks were explained, the Earl moved on to the final technique.

He created a modest distance between himself and Alex.

”Fourth Step...”

This time, he didn’t vanish, blink, or surge forward.

Instead, Earl Drake simply... walked.

But Alex immediately knew something was off.

Each step the Earl took forward wasn’t ordinary.

There was weight behind them.

Power.

With every step, a formless pressure bore down on Alex. By the fifth step, his back was already arching under the oppressive force. Breathing grew difficult, shallow, laboured.

One more step... and he might be forced to his knees.

Fortunately, the distance closed before it got that far.

”Fourth Step: Tyrant’s Descent,” Earl Drake intoned, his voice layered with authority.

Then, with a long, steady exhale, the aura vanished.

His demeanour returned to that of the fatherly instructor from moments ago.

”Tyrant’s Descent is both an attack and a control technique. With each advancing step, the user imposes a gravitational force onto their target, locking them in place and pressing down upon them. Its pressure increases with proximity, culminating in complete suppression.”

Alex straightened his back, catching his breath.

”The technique relies heavily on Spiritual Force. It determines the effective range at which you can lock onto a target, and the number of steps you can take before the effect caps off. It also affects how many targets you can suppress at once. That’s why it’s more advantageous for Warlocks, who naturally possess powerful and resilient Spiritual Force.”

Earl Drake didn’t realise it, but his well-meaning caution had, once again, failed to discourage Alex. If anything, it convinced the young man even further that the Abyssal Conqueror’s Steps were practically made for him.

”Well, other than Warlocks,” the Earl added, ”mages can also make better use of the technique, since they generally develop strong Spiritual Force as well. As for us warriors... we don’t need it. We have our own ways of imposing suppression.”

Alex almost rolled his eyes.

Each of the three major branches—Mage, Warrior, and Warlock—had their own version of pressure-based suppression.

A powerful mage, for instance, could use the sheer pressure density of their mana core to exude a pressure that suppresses the mana core and mana flow of a weaker mage.

Warlocks, on the other hand, could impose dominance through their synchronicity with the world or their bloodline—provided their resonance was deeper or stronger than their opponent’s.

Warriors tended to make a bigger deal out of their version, mostly because unlike Mages and Warlocks—whose suppression was largely internal to their own branch—a warrior’s internal energy could pressurise anyone, regardless of affiliation, so long as their energy density was higher.

But that wasn’t the reason Alex was tempted to roll his eyes.

No. What annoyed him was how his father seemed to be downplaying the Tyrant’s Descent—treating it like just another flexing technique used to intimidate weaker opponents.

It was so much more than that.

Energy suppression via raw aura or spiritual pressure was a classic trope. Alex had read countless novels where a higher-level cultivator used pressure to leave lower ones gasping for breath, knees buckling, visions spinning.

But it was just that—a trope. Flashy, theatrical, and ultimately superficial.

It rarely resulted in anything more than momentary discomfort—unless the gap in power was astronomical. Sure, a Legend-tier being pressuring a mortal might kill them, but that wasn’t an everyday occurrence.

Besides, there were easier ways to incapacitate a weakling. Jared could achieve the same with just his killing intent.

Tyrant’s Descent, however, was an entirely different beast.

It wasn’t about showing off.

It was an actual combat technique.

A genuine attack and control method.

If one were to describe the difference in scientific terms, Alex would liken ordinary energy suppression to basic altitude sickness, whereas Tyrant’s Descent was decompression sickness—the bends—in magical form.

Rapid changes in pressure caused excruciating joint pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, paralysis, unconsciousness, even death.

Standard energy pressure could make someone stumble. Tyrant’s Descent could make them implode.

If used correctly—with sufficient momentum—it could kill a weaker opponent outright. And with proper preparation, even stronger enemies could be held down or thrown off balance long enough for a decisive blow.

For his father to dismiss it just because it aligned more naturally with mages and warlocks... that was bias talking.

Still, Alex held his tongue.

Instead, he asked, ”So, how do the Lightning and Darkness elements contribute to the technique?”

Earl Drake, thankfully unaware of Alex’s internal rant, answered plainly.

”Lightning creates the physical component of the pressure—like the oppressive weight of a thunderstorm, especially when you’re caught in one in the open sea. That raw tension in the air that makes your body feel heavy.”

He paused before continuing.

”Darkness, on the other hand, generates the mental component. It creeps in like dread—silent, insidious—suffocating the mind like a black fog snuffing out light.”

Alex nodded, mentally noting how complementary the two forces were.

Once Earl Drake finished explaining the final nuances and shared the training methods for each of the four techniques, Alex replayed everything in his mind.

Thanks to his [Eidetic Memory], every moment of his father’s demonstration was locked in vivid, high-definition detail.

Abyssal Conqueror’s Steps:

First Step – Ghost Step

Second Step – Phantom’s Veil

Third Step – Wraith Crossing

Fourth Step – Tyrant’s Descent

Taking a deep breath, Alex moved to the centre of the hall and—following his father’s instructions—attempted his first execution of the Ghost Step.

It was...

A complete flop.

He stumbled. His timing was off. His flow was stiff. There was no grace, no vanishing act—only an awkward shuffle.

’So much for perfect memory equalling perfect results.’

Even with the visual clarity of a flawless mental replay, replicating a seasoned warrior’s technique as a mage was another story entirely.

’This... is going to take a while,’ Alex realised glumly.

**