The lava wasn't just liquid fire. It was dense, filled with violent energy particles, constantly colliding and releasing heat.
I clenched my jaw and focused.
My mind zoomed in on my core.
I activated [Psynapse Boost], and my will stretched out, connecting with the energy around me.
I could feel it now. The heat wasn't in the molten rock itself...it was in the vibrating particles of the lava. Tiny, microscopic movements that released energy every time they collided.
I locked onto those particles, guiding them with my will.
Slowly... I pulled them inside my body.
The particles resisted at first, wild and chaotic, but my increased Psynapse helped a lot.
As soon as the particles entered my body I activated [Essence Manipulation] and wrapped my Essence around them, forcing them into submission, and dragged them through my body toward my heart.
The moment the energy entered my core I felt it.
The generator core worked to turn the energy into Essence.
Pure, unfiltered energy flooding into my core, converting into Essence.
One unit.
But I felt the pain from the heat too.
My arm burned, the skin turning red as the lava tried to eat away at it. My core worked to absorb the energy, and I could feel the heat around my hand gradually decreasing, but it was still unbearable.
I gritted my teeth and endured it.
Two units.
My Essence store began filling up.
Three units.
Four units.
I pulled my arm out.
I gasped for air, my breath shaky as I looked at my arm. It was completely red, and blisters had already formed in some areas. The pain was horrendous, crawling up my nerves and drilling into my bones.
But I forced myself to focus.
I transferred almost all of the newly gained Essence into the Constitution.
The burning sensation dulled slightly, and the redness began to heal at a visible speed.
My muscles relaxed, but I didn't allow myself to rest.
Gritting my teeth, I stepped forward and dipped my other hand into the lava.
The pain struck again, burning through my nerves.
A little less than before, but still unbearable.
I activated [Psynapse Boost], pushing my senses to the limit and focusing on the particles within the lava.
In my vision, they swirled crimson in color, radiating intense light and heat.
Forcing my will onto them, I dragged them toward me.
The particles entered my body, and I immediately channeled Essence to guide them straight into the Generator Core inside my heart.
Again.
And again.
I repeated the process, absorbing as much as I could while my body screamed in agony.
When my Essence store hit 5 units, I yanked my hand out and collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
I blew on my hand instinctively to cool it down, knowing full well it wouldn't help. The skin was bright red, almost charred.
"Damn it. That hurts."
It did.
But I grinned.
In such a short time, I had generated so much Essence.
My theory worked.
It was time to go all out.
First, I needed to push my Constitution to a point where the heat wouldn't hurt me as much, allowing me to absorb energy continuously.
I also knew that my core couldn't handle non-stop absorption. The longer I used it, the more it felt like my heart would explode.
To prepare for the absorption marathon I was about to begin, I dumped all 5 of my unused stat points into Constitution.
Then I channeled the newly generated Essence into Constitution as well.
I clenched my fists as the familiar sensation of my body strengthening flooded through me.
My skin tightened. My muscles compacted. My bones felt denser.
And the burning pain...
It dulled.
Not gone. But manageable.
"Alright..." I whispered to myself, cracking my neck as I stood up and faced the pool once more.
"Let's break this damn volcano."
I pulled my talent panel to check the progress.
[Talent]
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Talent Name: Generator
Function: Generates Essence from absorbed energy
Level: 2
Essence: 1/10 units
Level Up Requirement: 200 units of Essence generated
Progress: 145/200
Talent Upgrade Requirement: Talent Level 5
Generator Activation Command: Power Up!
Recharge Sources: Any form of energy
Abilities:-
Essence Transfer – Can transfer stored Essence to an attribute. After use, 20% of the transferred Essence unit remains as a permanent boost
Essence Infusion – Can infuse stored Essence.
-----------------------------------------------
145/200.
That's where my progress sat.
I nodded to myself.
If I kept absorbing energy and took breaks in between to let the core rest, I should be able to push it to 200 in a day or two.
I stepped back from the lava pool and sat down on the rocky ground, letting my body recover.
The heat from the volcano pressed against my skin, but my boosted Constitution was already working to heal the burns and fatigue.
I stayed in that position for an hour, allowing my muscles to relax and my core to stabilize.
Once I felt ready, I stood up and walked toward the pool again.
This time, I didn't use my hands.
Instead, I sat down at the edge and dipped both my legs into the bubbling lava.
The molten sludge swallowed my legs up to the knees, and instantly, the burning pain flared up again. My skin felt like it was melting off my bones, but I gritted my teeth and focused.
I closed my eyes and activated my talent.
Focus.
Feel the energy in the lava.
Pull the particles.
Guide them to the core using Essence.
And let the Generator do its work.
I repeated the process over and over, absorbing the heat energy and converting it into pure Essence.
My core worked tirelessly, generating unit after unit of Essence while I endured the scorching agony.
Three hours passed like this.
But this time, I didn't pull out my legs after every few units.
I waited until my Essence store hit full capacity, then I would move out and channel all the units into Constitution.
After resting for some time I would immediately begin absorbing again.
And again.
And again.
By the time I finally pulled my legs out of the lava, my Constitution had crossed 50 points temporarily all three times.
But...
Nothing changed.
Unlike when I hit 50 in Psynapse and it restructured my brain, this time, there was no such thing.
My guess?
It only worked when I permanently crossed the threshold, not when I temporarily pushed my stats with Essence infusion.
I checked my status.
Constitution: 49.
One more point.
Just one more.
Deactivating my talent, I stepped away from the pool and opened my bag.
I pulled out some dried meat and bread, sat down on a rock, and quietly ate.
My legs were still burning, the skin scalded and red, but I ignored the pain.
This was nothing.
I drank some water, finished my food, and closed my eyes.
I needed my body to recover before the next round.
So I meditated.
For two full hours, I focused on calming my mind and focused on the jumping crimson particles around me.
After checking the condition of my body and confirming it was in good enough shape, I stood up and whispered,
"Power up."
My talent activated.
I felt the Generator Core inside my heart begin to heat up as it focused on absorbing energy once again.
But this time, I didn't step into the lava pool.
I closed my eyes and extended my senses outward, activating [Psynapse Boost] to heighten my perception.
The world around me slowed, and in my perception, I could see them.
Tiny crimson particles.
Heat energy.
They floated in the air, drifting lazily around me, radiating intense light that only I could perceive through my senses.
I reached out with my will and guided them toward my body.
Slowly. Carefully.
The particles resisted at first, but I kept pulling, using my Essence to direct them toward my heart.
The moment they touched the Generator Core, they were sucked in and the core worked on converting the energy into Essence.
One unit.
It took me around three to four minutes to generate the first one.
I kept at it.
Focusing. Absorbing. Converting.
Unit after unit.
By the time half an hour passed, I had filled my Essence store with 5 units.
Without hesitation, I pushed all five units into the Constitution.
I felt my body harden from the inside, my muscles tightening, my skin becoming more resistant, and my cells adapting to the intense heat around me.
My Constitution temporarily surged to 54.
And finally...
My Constitution increased permanently by 1.
A grin spread across my face as I checked my status.
Constitution: 50.