Chapter 181: Steady and Balance
'Steady... steady... steady,' I muttered to myself as I attempted to maintain my balance in the air.
My outstretched arms trembled as I struggled to balance my body, looking more like Tony when he was just beginning to test the fly function of his suit.
"This is harder than I thought,"I chuckled as sweat began to form on my forehead.
I initially believed it would be much easier to hover in the air, given my ability to lift a boulder. However, controlling my own body proved to be far more challenging.
It was not just a matter of weight, but because, unlike the solid rock, which I could just let go of if I lost control, my body was far more important. At this moment, I was only ten feet in the air, so I wouldn't get injured even if I fell.
However, in the future, I aimed to fly higher, and that's when the sudden changes in wind speed could become a significant factor to consider. It's better to familiarize myself with this aspect now.
Suddenly, I felt a bit lightheaded, so I began a slow descent to the ground.
'Five minutes, I can only hover for five minutes,' I muttered to myself while checking my watch. I had been able to lift the boulder for less than a minute and hover for five minutes when lifting my own body.
'All right, I'm going to rest for a bit and try again,' I decided as I sat down, preparing to meditate.
I wanted to conduct multiple experiments to better utilize my ability to hover. I called it hovering because it would be presumptuous to call it flying at this point when all I could do was stand in the air.
For now, I needed to focus on improving this basic skill before attempting anything more advanced.
After a 20-minutes meditation session, I could sense that my Mind Power had fully recharged. I took a deep breath, preparing for another round of experimentation.
Just like before, I started ascending higher. It was amazing how quickly I was improving, and I felt like I was getting the hang of it.
Hovering to a height of 20 feet was a good milestone in my training. As I ascended, I could feel the air growing colder, and the shifting wind patterns at this height were more noticeable. but, my experience allowed me to maintain my balance much more effectively than in my earlier attempts.
However, I began to notice that maintaining this level of control was taking a greater toll on my mind.
'I'm getting light headed already ,'
After approximately three minutes of hovering at this altitude, I began to sense the first signs of mental fatigue creeping in.
I knew it was time to descend before I pushed my abilities too far and exhausted my Mind Power. Carefully and steadily, I lowered myself to the ground.
As I rested and made my observations, it became apparent that my hypothesis was correct. The higher I flew, the faster I consumed Mind Power. I made a mental note of all these findings for future reference.
But I wasn't done yet. It was time to rest, gather my mental strength, and prepare for the next phase of my training – learning how to move through the air
However, moving through the air proved to be more challenging than hovering.
At first, it felt like I was struggling to gain control and maintain my balance. I would make small, erratic movements, sometimes spinning slightly out of control before stabilizing myself. It was as if I were learning to walk all over again, but in the air.
With each attempt, I improved my control and balance. I learned to focus on the movement of air currents and how to adjust my position to glide smoothly. After several tries and numerous near-misses, I started to get the hang of it. My movements became more fluid, and I could navigate through the air much better.
'My quick learning is really handy' I chuckled to myself. Appreciating the impact of my passive skills, I realized how much faster I was learning now.
The old me would have taken days to fully master and experiment with my powers, but the quick learning ability had become a game-changer.
I knew I had much more to learn, but the progress I'd made in a single day was astonishing.
***
As the sun began its descent in the sky, I knew it was time to call it a day. The wind had grown colder, and my mind had become fatigued from the mental strain.
My training had drained me both mentally and physically. My ability to meditate had been compromised by the fatigue that now coursed through my body. It was as if the energy within me had been sapped by my intense training.
With every step, I felt the weight of the day pressing down on me. I wanted to rest, but I couldn't afford to waste any more time. So, as I walked back to my truck, I reached into my bag and pulled out a couple of energy bars. These were my last resort, packed with the necessary nutrients and sustenance to keep me going.
I peeled open the wrappers and took a few hearty bites, savoring the slightly sweet taste and the burst of energy that followed. It wasn't a five-star meal by any means, but it was enough to fuel me and banish the drowsiness .
Finally, I reached my truck after walking a few km, or at least what was left of it.
"Fuck!" I shouted in frustration when I saw the state of my truck. The tires were all flat. The windows were shattered, and it looked utterly wrecked.
I had walked too far from my Mind Link's range to find a secluded training spot, and I hadn't bothered to consider the possibility of vandalism in a mountain.
The audacity of the individuals who had destroyed my truck made me want to hunt them down and bury them to the ground alive.
"You messed with the wrong person!,"