Chapter 81: PLANS
Azrael watched his own body stand rooted in position, headless.
The strands snapped back into his body and the motes drifted apart again, spreading slowly through the air.
His eyes moved on their own, finding Jasmine still seated in her chair with the expression of someone who had not been involved with the world in a very long time.
"Why did she kill me?" Azrael wondered as his head dissolved into dust.
His body twitched slightly. A new head pushed out from the neck.
For a moment, he remained still and said nothing.
But that did not last for long. He turned to Jasmine.
"What was that for?" Azrael asked with furrowed brows.
"Five seconds. That was the limit I gave you. I even announced when the time was up and you kept going."
"I was this close to finishing," Azrael said, holding up two fingers with barely any gap between them.
Jasmine shook her head slowly, clearly unimpressed by what Azrael was showing.
"It was a simple instruction. Even if a single mote remained unconnected, you do not get to disobey it."
Looking into her cold eyes, Azrael could only swallow what he wanted to say.
"Should I try again?" He asked.
Jasmine shook her head slowly.
"No." Her tone was flat and final.
"For the next two hours, you will train alone in the underground training room."
Azrael blinked.
"After that, two hours of cultivation."
She continued speaking as though whatever was going through his mind was entirely irrelevant to her.
"After that, you are done for the day."
Her eyes found his again.
"Do not slack off. My eyes are everywhere except your bedroom."
Before Azrael could say another word, she vanished in a flicker of purple and green.
"She did not even give me directions to the training room," Azrael said, dropping his hand in resignation.
He pushed through the front door and went inside.
The house was empty.
That was expected. Jasmine lived alone.
"Hi," a voice came from the door beside Jasmine’s room.
Azrael looked at the person who stepped out and blinked, running his eyes over the sight twice.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I am Jasmine’s granddaughter," she said.
She was a demon girl who looked to be in her early tens. But her features were already defined and she stood even taller than Jasmine.
Yellow crimson hair draped down her back, stopping at her waist. Her crimson horns carried faint traces of yellow along their edges. Her eyes were split, one yellow and one crimson.
’She has a granddaughter?’ Azrael thought as he looked at her.
"What is your name?" He asked.
"Daisy," she replied with a small smile.
"Training room," a voice echoed through the house.
Azrael looked up to find Jasmine walking back through the front door.
’Why did she disappear earlier only to walk through the front door?’ Azrael wondered.
"My name is Azrael," he said to Daisy with a gentle smile, patting her head.
The girl smiled as the hand massaged her head.
"Daisy, come inside," Jasmine said, taking her by the arm and guiding her back through the door.
Azrael watched them disappear before looking away.
"House, how do I reach the underground training room?" He asked.
He had looked through every visible part of the house and found no other passage.
"Huh?"
That was all he managed before the floor swallowed him.
A large opening appeared beneath him and he dropped straight down.
He landed and looked around.
A vast expanse of pure black tiles stretched in every direction.
Round blue orbs floated near the ceiling, unaffected by gravity. They lit the room in a way that was gentle rather than harsh, enough to see clearly without being blinding.
Weapon racks were scattered throughout the space, each one holding different arms.
At the far end, training dummies stood in a row, similar to the ones from combat class but noticeably more refined.
"This is a well built space," Azrael muttered after a brief look around.
He did not waste time.
Especially knowing Jasmine’s eyes were likely on him right now.
The elements from his new skill moved through his mind.
Fire caught his attention first. Its explosive force could amplify the lethality of his strikes significantly.
But he reconsidered.
"I also need speed," he muttered, stroking his chin.
Wind was the obvious answer. One of the fastest elements in the universe.
He thought it through again, then exhaled, tapping his head lightly.
"Why choose between them when I already have something that covers both?" He muttered.
Lightning began to arc across his body, coating him in dancing orange currents.
"Speed and explosiveness in one," he said, raising his arm to watch it move along his skin.
None of his previous skills had paired naturally with his close range fighting style.
But with a full element arsenal available to him now, that was no longer a limitation.
’System, what do you think of lightning as a starting point?’ Azrael asked.
[Best choice you could make,] The system replied.
[My personal recommendation would be lightning first, then shadow, then plasma.]
"Seems like you evolved alongside me," Azrael said with a smile, keeping his focus on the lightning.
"Where do I even start?" He said aloud.
[Try enhancing your body with lightning instead of essence. Then try projecting it outward through your strikes.]
’You are being unusually helpful,’ Azrael replied.
[I want you strong enough to leave this place as soon as possible,] The system said.
The lightning flickered for a moment.
Azrael did not understand why the system felt that way about this place.
’Why do you want me to leave?’ He asked.
[I have a bad feeling about that woman. And about her granddaughter,] The system replied.
Azrael took in the system’s words.
On another day he might have pressed further. Right now, he did not feel the need.
"Well, they are my eccentric grandmother and cousin of sorts," he replied, letting the lightning build again.