Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1130: The Training and Asad the Necromancer

Ezekiel along with the priests eagerly embraced Arthis's words...

They fully recognized their good fortune in possessing these statues that offered substantial aid to their practice.

Maybe they could grasp Aura far quicker than anyone anticipated.

These priests were no ordinary Survivors!

They ranked as elite Foreign Survivors, having slaughtered thousands of Zombies throughout the previous year!

Observing the priests' comprehension, Arthis lifted his staff.

"You've rested sufficiently... Today, we commence. Aura isn't mastered through observation... it's achieved via breathing and constant practice. Begin immediately!"

Thus, the momentous occasion of priests acquiring Aura officially started.

Arthis pointed toward the courtyard, visible with the faceless statues...

"Firstly, recall that Aura differs from spirit magic. Nor is it prayer. It embodies life's very rhythm. To sense it, control your breathing."

The priests puzzled over the final instruction, yet as monks, they approached it from another angle.

Fortunately, the monks showed them deliberately...

They drew breath via their noses, paused, then released it in a controlled pattern.

As they performed this, subtle hints of unseen energy encircled their forms.

"This forms the base. Breathe in sync with your spirit..."

Next, they instructed the precise timings and patterns to adhere to.

The priests imitated them, naturally clumsy at the outset. Some breathed too fast, others faltered in tempo.

Arthis guided them with patience, striking his staff on the stone.

"Deliberate. Consistent. Sense the air flowing within you..."

***

Meanwhile, Jillian and a few others observed silently from the edges.

Their interest shone through, having joined the monks’ sessions previously. Still, they hadn't comprehended Aura.

Jillian counted herself among those who attempted and failed, fueling her determination to watch the priests closely.

Jillian pondered silently.

With that thought, she monitored their advancement.

Time ticked by, the courtyard echoing with unified breaths.

Yet only after four hours did Ezekiel sense his chest broadening as his mind sharpened.

His prosthetic foot grounded solidly, and abruptly, a subtle heat ascended through him... Unlike the restorative or divine energies he knew, such as his holy power, this felt entirely novel.

"Incredible... This sensation..."

Arthis nodded, spotting the subtle Aura strands collecting near Ezekiel’s chest.

"Well done. Maintain your form. Aura travels via the body’s pathways. As beginners, poor posture disrupts the flow... Recall the stance!"

While speaking, Arthis adopted the Sunflow Stance as a demonstration.

The position remained basic: feet spread, knees flexed, back aligned.

His staff lay gently over his open hands. "This position unlocks the pathways. Maintain it."

The priests had witnessed this stance the day before during the monks' drills.

They replicated it, muscles tensing soon after, though the statues' enhancements stabilized them.

"We're mastering Aura!"

The priests motivated one another while obeying Arthis’s directions.

Before long, Ezekiel noticed his equilibrium enhancing...

The Discipline Statue's sharpness blended with his breathing cadence, making the stance suddenly intuitive.

Arthis scanned them with his gaze.

"You sense it, right? Not full Aura, merely the groundwork..."

Sweat glistened on brows, yet no one quit. Despite wounds, they relished this regimen!

"That's the way!"

"I sense greater strength once more!"

"Hey! Concentrate! That's not Aura!"

"That's merely the Statue’s boost!"

Battle-tested veterans against zombies, the priests benefited uniquely from this bodily drill.

Hours later, Jillian exhaled in relief.

Not one had manifested Aura...

"I suppose they're ordinary after all." She whispered.

Arthis clapped to signal the end.

"That's sufficient for now. You've made your initial stride. Tomorrow, we'll advance the drill. You'll guide Aura into your limbs, sensing its heft and current..."

Ezekiel and his companions bowed deeply.

"We comprehend. Gratitude, Brother Arthis."

The monks trailing Arthis stayed quiet, though their gazes revealed approval of the priests...

Excitement gripped them all, finally discovering worthy pupils after ages!

They eagerly anticipated ramping up the sessions!

***

Meanwhile, nightfall brought Asad through Blue Bubble Shelter's entrance. Smoke and soap aromas permeated the air...

Asad reflected quietly.

He promptly paid the entry toll—two Zombie Cores—then merged with the incoming and outgoing zombie slayers.

His guise was deliberate: battered leather armor, bow slung over his shoulder, pack brimming with standard gear.

Observers saw merely another weary survivor hunting respite and barter.

Yet no one suspected his identity as a Rank 2 Survivor, Eclipse Revenant Clan's necromancer, and Shane’s loyal agent.

His objective stayed straightforward...

Per Shane’s orders, he aimed to pinpoint and dismantle a Phoenix Phalanx outpost concealed in Sector 15.

No grand bastion, yet intel from Natalie and Travis—adept at reconnaissance—revealed eighty to a hundred residents within.

Moreover, it controlled a scarce plateau herb. This asset countered the Zombie Virus, enabling elite survivors to resist infection.

Its worth alone justified the strike.

Finding it remained pending, but rest came first.

"An inn must be nearby..." Asad murmured, surveying the area.

Blue Bubble Shelter thrived as a neutral haven, famed for scented soaps and vibrant commerce.

Vendors hawked lavender and citrus bars, boasting they concealed blood and decay's reek. Trophy-laden hunters navigated the lanes...

Undead bones even served as ornaments.

Vibrancy masked an undercurrent of strain, which Asad detected.

Neutral hubs buzzed with intel, precisely his requirement.

Maintaining even strides, he greeted guards and sellers courteously until hitting the tavern zone, steeped in sweat, ale, and more.

Zombie hunters clustered, bragging kills, debating top foes, and inevitably sharing trade whispers.

Asad entered a spacious tavern...

Like the rest, he called for watered ale—nothing potent—then claimed a shadowy corner spot.

His gaze roamed while ears caught nearby chatter.

"Time to listen..."

Intoxicated hunters grew loose-lipped, taverns ideal for intel harvesting.

Fortuitously, useful talk surfaced swiftly. His quarry proved notably renowned here.

"...heard Phoenix Phalanx’s crew still holds that plateau," a hunter grumbled, thumping his mug. "They act like the plant’s theirs. Extort anyone attempting harvest."

"Yeah! Total bastards!"

"Hey... A few might be around..."

Another hawked phlegm to the floor. "Fools. That herb keeps them rooted. Lacking it, they'd flee this sector ages back. Somehow they've tamed Zombie Kings... Plus elite Archers, so they're dug in deep."

Asad nursed his ale, masking attention. Each detail etched into his thoughts.

The plateau defense and outsider assaults aligned with Shane’s reports.

At another table's end, young hunters chuckled. "I once crept near. Arrows whizzed past. Beyond three Zombie Kings, scrap turrets and a barrier device guard it. Modest defenses, yet scavenger-proof."

"Barrier delays hordes," came the retort. "Phoenix Phalanx clings tight, aware of their fragility."

Asad reclined, absorbing more...

Queries proved unnecessary... Hunters volunteered details, practically baiting raids...

Fortified yes, but conquerable.

Turrets, shields, bowmen, Zombie rulers... All safeguarding a virus-weakening plant.

"Shane's toughest assignment yet..." Asad whispered.

He drained his mug, shifted tables, initiating light banter. "Rowdy evening, huh? Solid hunts lately?"

His neighbor beamed, flashing chipped teeth. "Nailed a Hunter Zombie today. Vicious thing. Almost lost my limb." He chortled, eyed Asad’s gear, then dropped his tone conspiratorially...

"You chasing those tales too? Phoenix Phalanx scum tinkering with the herb, aiming to render elites infection-proof and tap Zombie might, eh?"