“So that’s how it is?”
Sitting cross-legged, Skirk believed it a little, but regarding how to suppress this manifestation, the system’s proposal was to “let nature take its course.”
Well, nothing more to say then, back to sleep.
Skirk leaned back, performing a premeditated nap.
Amber looked at Skirk, who had instantly entered “standby” mode on the ground, and shook his head helplessly.
The shock from the battle just now still lingered in his heart, but looking at this fellow lying flat without a shred of dignity, those thoughts of a “top-tier warrior” or a “cold-blooded expert” were forcibly suppressed once again.
He walked over to Skirk’s side, found a relatively clean large rock to sit on, unbuckled the leather canteen from his waist, and took small sips.
The morning light was just right, completely dispersing the thin mist.
Golden sunlight spilled over the ancient stone pillars, the distant azure sea shimmered with light, and seagulls circled in the sky, letting out long cries.
A gentle sea breeze carrying a salty scent brushed past his cheeks, fluttering the tips of Amber’s fiery red hair and lightly teasing Skirk’s silver hair scattered on the ground.
Skirk closed her eyes, savoring this rare peace and comfort.
Beneath her was the solid earth, in her ears was the duet of wind and seagulls, and at the tip of her nose was the scent of sunlight and sea breeze.
“Ah…
this is more like it!”
The little person inside her sighed with satisfaction,
“Traveling to another world, fighting and killing is just a side dish; lying on a picturesque beach, feeling the sea breeze, basking in the sun, and listening to the birds—this is enjoying life!”
[How very much like life.]
The body’s fatigue slowly faded during relaxation, while that strange sensation from the battle—the fluid movement, the instinctive control over power—surfaced even more clearly in her mind.
Water…
Hydro simulated by Abyssal Power…
She carefully recalled the knowledge fragments the system had instilled in her regarding the essence of this power—
Seven Transformations of the Serpent.
The name sounded quite intimidating, but the principle was actually quite simple—
Chaos Permeation.
Its core was not directly commanding elements, but utilizing the “nothingness” characteristic of Abyssal Power itself to create specific “negative pressure” gaps in reality.
Like poking regular small holes in a piece of intact fabric, it enticed external elemental energy to automatically flow in and fill the gaps, thereby simulating elemental effects on the surface.
The mages of Khaenri’ah felt this method was thankless and only good for parlor tricks.
But her “cheap master,” The Foul—that monster-level existence—had seen through to the essence with a single glance, turning the mundane into the miraculous.
He transformed it into a technique that could pass for real or even surpass elemental power, and passed it on to his disciple Skirk (the original) for disguise.
You ask why Skirk knows this?
System: Ehe~
“Chaos Permeation…
creating negative pressure gaps…
inducing elemental inflow…”
Skirk’s eyes were closed, but her consciousness was exceptionally active.
“Isn’t this just…
exploiting a bug?!”
As a veteran gamer in her past life, this spark of inspiration instantly lit up her train of thought!
“Normal elemental users directly call upon elemental particles in the environment or drive a Vision to convert elemental energy.
But this ‘Seven Transformations of the Serpent’ uses its own Abyssal Power to dig a hole at the target location first, and then waits for the environmental elemental energy to flow in and fill it!”
“The shape of the hole and the magnitude of the’suction'”
“determine the final form and power of the manifested Hydro!”
“Just like in the battle earlier…”
“That strike to destroy the joint was creating an extremely slender ‘needle-shaped negative pressure gap’ in the joint’s crevices.
A massive amount of Hydro was instantly sucked in, compressed, and exploded, creating the effect of a high-pressure water jet!”
“The water vortex used to deflect force was creating a high-speed rotating ‘annular negative pressure belt’ on the surface of the shoulder armor, dispersing the power of the descending giant palm through the rotating water flow!”
“The final ultimate move was even more so—compressing an ultra-miniature, point-shaped ultra-high-pressure negative pressure core at the sword tip, pointed at the core’s crack, wildly sucking in the surrounding vast amount of Hydro to compress and then instantly detonate it!”
Having figured this out, Skirk felt a sudden sense of clarity!
Knowing how to use power and understanding its essence are two different concepts!
The previous moves were all taught by the system; now, she could develop new moves based on her own understanding!
The power of ‘I reckon’!
The use of this power is essentially utilizing the “nothingness” characteristic of Abyssal Power to “punch holes” and “dig pits” in the rules of reality, then “borrowing” the elemental power of Teyvat’s environment itself to do the work!
She only needed to pay that bit of Abyssal Power required to create and maintain the “gap” as a guide!
“Then…
what if I don’t limit myself to creating ‘pits’ and waiting for water to fill them?” A bold idea popped up.
“For example…
can I create an instantaneous, ultra-thin’sheet-like negative pressure layer’ under my feet or on the water’s surface?
Would Hydro rush in to form a ‘water film’?
Wouldn’t that let me glide on water or even…
walk on air?!”
“Or…
referring to the principle of non-Newtonian fluids?
When defending, create a special ‘negative pressure structural layer’ that only hardens upon impact?
Normally soft, but instantly hardens when hit?”
The more Skirk thought about it, the more excited she became, feeling as if she had opened the door to a new world!
Exploiting bugs?
I’m a professional!
Just as she was immersed in her fantasies of new applications for her power, her lips unconsciously curling into a silly grin, Amber’s amused voice came from beside her:
“Hey, Skirk, are you asleep?”
Amber’s voice carried the relaxation after battle and a hint of curiosity.
“Just now…
was really amazing!
That dodge, and the way you targeted the joint—it was terrifyingly precise!”
Hearing this, the curve of her lips rose even higher.
[Sun: Yo, Brother Mouth-Corner, out for another stroll?]
“And…
the timing when you coordinated with my arrow…
ah, especially that last bit…”
Amber suddenly stalled.
He originally wanted to praise that earth-shattering sword strike of judgment, but the words died in his throat.
In his mind, the image of the cold figure who, a second ago, looked like a god of war descending to crush the core, was instantly replaced by the huge contrast of her making a silly peace sign with a dorky face!
“Pfft—hahaha!”
Amber couldn’t hold it in and burst into a hearty, unrefined laugh once more.
“Especially that last part!
The switch was just…
too sudden!
Hahaha!
A peace sign!
You actually made a peace sign!
Hahaha!”
The faking-sleep Skirk: “!!!”
The smile didn’t disappear, and the sun welcomed another Brother Mouth-Corner.
She couldn’t keep up the act anymore!
“Stop laughing!
Don’t mention the peace sign!”