287: Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting

"Hello everyone, I am your Tutor. The name is Toma Dragan." The man entered the classroom and started to swing his finger in the air. The energy in his hand stuck in the air to manifest letters, but without moving energy to eyes, students couldn't see it.1

All the students, by now, learned that they should always keep part of their energy in their eyes to see invisible creatures. In F-Circle, many monsters could hide themselves and when not looked by True Vision, the hunters wouldn't even know how they died.

Miles looked at the new tutor. He was only one and a half meters tall, but he was packed with muscles. He could feel the explosive power in that small body.

"I will be teaching you the ins and outs of Body Branch. I know most of you have a Heart Seed, but this is just an introduction class. So if you like to study more advanced techniques, you can sign up for them."

Miles had already checked the advanced classes and signed up for all of them. He came to the academy so he could learn more about energy. Now that he re-opened his shop, he had a steady stream of Merits and would earn enough to live. That is why if he didn't have to, he wouldn't go to hunt.

"The main purpose of Body Branch is to strengthen the body. You move energy to the required area to defend or attack, but that is not all. True Vision is a technique under this branch too. So this branch isn't all about brute force.

As you know energy is separated into four branches. When used inside the body, it is a Body Branch Technique. When used in the brain, it is Mind Branch, when it is outside of the body it is Heart Branch and if it is anything else, it is Mystic Branch.

Although Body Branch techniques are considered as most straightforward, there is still some finesse in them. For example, one technique can harden your skin for you to defend against incoming attacks, while another can make your muscles more elastic so you can swing your sword better.

You can increase your heart rate to strengthen your muscles, increase your speed and much more. You can create artificial veins in your body with energy and use them to survive until a healer arrives. You can do anything with energy. It is so marvelous, but you have to know how and you have to practice so you can control your energy."

Miles looked at the Tutor in awe. He heard it many times already but everytime he learned something new about energy, it would blow his mind. When he first heard that energy was the source of everything and everything could be done with it, he had a hard time believing in it, but as he attended the classes, he realized how true it was.

"Although I said there is no limit in creation, it doesn't mean you don't have limits. The quantity and quality of energy is important. But other than these, your element is as crucial!

If your element is ice, then everything you create will also have the same attribute. Although because it is your main element and your body is somehow attuned to it, cold is still a bad element inside the body. Especially near the heart. But if you require to slow your blood flow and preserve your body until the healers arrive, fiery elements will only make it worse.

You have to take your element in consideration and have to create your path accordingly. Like how your superpower shaped your future, your element also decides your future path."

It was simple logic. If a person had a talent in music, in most cases, that student would strive to become a musician. With a weak physique and no talent in constructing, a person wouldn't become a hardhat.

It was the same with the elements, people would have to choose a path that was most compatible with their powers. Otherwise, their own powers would hamper their progress.

"Now, there are four sub-branches I will be teaching in this introduction class. Shape, Augmentation, Creation and Fundamentals.

We will start with Shape. Shape sub-branch cover techniques allow you to re-shape your body. The most simple execution of this sub-branch is changing hands into claws. Some of you may have already learned this, but for the rest of the class, I will demonstrate a few examples and then will help you to learn the ins and outs of this simple technique." With this, Tutor Toma raised his right hand and his fingers started to change.

The thick fingers started to get more slander and their tips now looked sharp. Nails at the top were as sharp as swords. Although it didn't look like an animal's, it was still deadly.

"To achieve this, I use my energy to change the shape of my hand. All you have to do is to move your energy in your hands and imagine the form you want to create. But remember the four steps of manifestation; Intent, Medium, Gesture, Will!

Your intent is to change the shape of your hand. The medium is your body. There are no gestures for this simple technique and the most important is your will. You have to believe in the change for it to happen.

Now, you try."

All the students started to gaze at their hands. Miles was already pretty used to techniques such as these. While he was studying the Seven Finger Death Punch, he learned how to change his hands into claws.

Soon, the rest of the class also learned and Tutor continued. "Now, we will work on something more advanced."

He raised his arm and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up. He showed the back of his arm and it turned into a sword.

"Creating weapons with Heart Branch is the most basic form of manifestation. But most body branch users are more comfortable with shaping their arms into weapons instead of creating weapons. After all, shifts in branches can get uncomfortable.

I want you to try this until the next lesson. The first to achieve will get 10 merits. You are dismissed." With it, the class was over.

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