**Four Months Later**
The storm that night was apocalyptic.
Lightning tore across the sky in jagged patterns, each bolt powerful enough to incinerate a normal cultivator. Thunder shook the foundations of the Eternal Mist Pavilion, rattling windows and sending servants scrambling for cover. Rain fell in torrents, transforming the training courtyard into a lake.
In the center of that courtyard, surrounded by chaos, Anthonio sat in perfect stillness.
He had been meditating for six hours straight, barely breathing, his consciousness turned entirely inward. Tonight was the night. After four months of relentless preparation, careful advancement, and gradual power accumulation, he was finally ready to attempt the breakthrough from Consolidation 9-Star to Manifestation 1-Star.
It was the most dangerous cultivation breakthrough he would face before reaching Sovereign level.
Consolidation was about internal power—gathering essence, stabilizing the cultivation base, building a foundation. Manifestation was about external projection—taking the power coiled within and forcing it outward into the physical world. It required fundamentally changing how essence flowed through the body, creating new pathways, establishing connections between internal power and external reality.
For normal cultivators, the breakthrough took weeks of careful preparation. They would use essence stones, medicinal pills, and guidance from experienced masters to minimize the risk.
Anthonio had none of that.
What he did have was the Primordial Red Lightning, the Codex of Primordial Essence, and a storm overhead that was channeling more electrical energy than most cultivators would encounter in their entire lives.
*Perfect conditions for what I'm about to attempt.*
Selene watched from the covered walkway, her face tight with concern. She had tried to convince him to wait, to prepare more carefully, to at least use some of the medicinal pills from the vault to stabilize the breakthrough.
Anthonio had refused. The Codex was clear—primordial essence didn't follow normal rules. Using normal cultivation aids could actually interfere with the breakthrough, creating impurities that would limit his ultimate potential.
No. This had to be done the old way. The primordial way.
With raw power and absolute will.
Anthonio opened his eyes. They glowed crimson, bright enough to illuminate the rain-soaked courtyard. He stood slowly, raising his arms to the sky.
"Come," he whispered.
Lightning answered.
A massive bolt struck him directly, enough electricity to vaporize a building. It would have killed any normal cultivator instantly. But Anthonio wasn't normal. The Primordial Red Lightning in his veins recognized its kin, and instead of destroying him, the natural lightning was absorbed into his body.
Power flooded his Essence Veins. Not the controlled, gradual accumulation of normal cultivation, but a violent surge that threatened to tear his pathways apart. Anthonio gritted his teeth, guiding the energy with iron will, forcing it to flow according to the patterns described in the Codex.
*First stage: Saturation. Fill the Essence Veins beyond their normal capacity.*
More lightning struck. Again and again, bolt after bolt, until Anthonio's entire body glowed with captured electricity. His Essence Veins were stretched to their absolute limit, containing power that should have been impossible to hold.
*Second stage: Compression. Condense the overflowing essence into a single point.*
Anthonio focused on his core, the center point of his cultivation base. He drew all that scattered energy inward, compressing it, condensing it, creating pressure that made his entire body feel like it would explode.
The pain was excruciating. Every cell screamed in protest. His Essence Veins felt like they were on fire from the inside. But Anthonio held on, maintained focus, continued the compression.
*Third stage: Breakthrough. Force the compressed essence outward through new pathways, creating the foundation for Manifestation.*
This was the critical moment. The instant where success meant advancement and failure meant death or permanent crippling.
Anthonio released the compressed energy all at once, directing it not inward but outward, through pathways that didn't yet exist. The Primordial Red Lightning blazed through his body, burning new channels, creating connections between his internal essence and the external world.
He screamed. Couldn't help it. The sensation was beyond pain—it was transformation at a fundamental level, his body being restructured by forces beyond mortal comprehension.
Lightning exploded outward from his body in a sphere of crimson electricity that expanded in all directions. The courtyard stones vaporized. The nearby walls cracked. Even the rain evaporated in the immediate vicinity, creating a dome of superheated air.
And then, suddenly, it was over.
Anthonio collapsed to his knees in the center of a perfectly circular crater, steam rising from his body. For a moment, he couldn't move, couldn't think, could barely breathe.
Then awareness returned.
And with it came understanding.
*I can feel it. The external world. Not just seeing it or sensing it, but feeling it as an extension of myself.*
He raised his hand, and crimson lightning manifested above his palm—not emerging from his body, but appearing directly in the air, summoned from nothing. This was Manifestation. The ability to project essence into physical reality without it needing to flow through his body first.
"Young master!"
Selene rushed to his side, her spiritual sense sweeping over him. Her eyes widened in shock.
"You did it. You actually did it. Manifestation 1-Star." She helped him to his feet, supporting his weight as his legs trembled. "How do you feel?"
"Like I've been struck by lightning about thirty times," Anthonio replied, managing a weak smile. "Which, technically, I have been."
"Your breakthrough method was insane. Using natural lightning to force the advancement—young master, you could have died a dozen different ways."
"But I didn't." Anthonio straightened, testing his body. Every muscle ached, but nothing felt damaged. The Primordial Red Lightning had restructured him successfully. "The Codex was right. For primordial essence users, natural forces are allies, not threats. That storm didn't attack me—it empowered me."
He extended his hand again, and this time created not just a spark, but a fully formed sphere of lightning hovering in mid-air. It was stable, solid, responding to his will as naturally as his own limbs.
"This changes everything," Anthonio said softly. "At Consolidation level, I could only use my power internally. Now I can create techniques that exist independently, that persist without my direct control. True combat capability."
"We should get you inside," Selene said. "You need rest, food, recovery—"
"No." Anthonio's eyes blazed with determination. "I need to test my limits while the breakthrough is fresh. Selene, attack me."
"Young master, you're in no condition—"
"That's an order."
Selene hesitated, then nodded. Shadow essence swirled around her as she settled into combat stance. "Very well. But I'm holding back significantly."
She moved.
Even weakened from the breakthrough, Anthonio could track her movement. His perception had increased dramatically—one of the benefits of Manifestation level cultivation. But tracking and reacting were different things.
Selene's fist shot toward his chest. Anthonio tried to dodge, too slow, but instinct took over. Crimson lightning manifested between them, forming a barrier that deflected the strike.
*I didn't consciously create that shield. It formed automatically in response to threat.*
"Again," Anthonio commanded.
Selene attacked from a different angle. This time, Anthonio was ready. He manifested lightning not as a defensive barrier, but as an offensive weapon—a spear of compressed electricity that shot toward Selene's position.
She dissolved into shadows, avoiding the attack easily. But Anthonio wasn't finished. He created three more lightning spears in rapid succession, each one targeting a different vector, cutting off her escape routes.
Selene was forced to solidify and deflect the attacks with shadow essence. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Your control is remarkable for someone who just broke through. Most new Manifestation cultivators can barely create simple constructs. You're already executing complex multi-target techniques."
"The Primordial Red Lightning makes it easier," Anthonio explained, breathing hard from the exertion. "At this level, I can access about forty percent of the total power. Enough to fight seriously."
They continued sparring for another thirty minutes. With each exchange, Anthonio's understanding of Manifestation deepened. He learned how to create lightning constructs faster, how to make them more stable, how to chain techniques together for maximum effect.
By the end, he was executing the Lightning Step while simultaneously maintaining three independent lightning spheres and a defensive barrier. It was basic compared to what high-level Manifestation cultivators could do, but for someone who had broken through less than an hour ago, it was exceptional.
"Enough," Selene finally called. "Young master, you're going to collapse from exhaustion if we continue."
She was right. Anthonio could feel his energy reserves depleting rapidly. Manifestation techniques consumed far more essence than Consolidation-level abilities. He would need to build up his stamina over time.
"Fine," he conceded, dismissing his constructs. "Let's go inside."
---
**The Next Morning**
Anthonio woke to sunlight streaming through his window and the smell of breakfast being prepared. For the first time in months, he had slept deeply, his body recovering from the breakthrough's strain.
He sat up, immediately checking his cultivation state. Manifestation 1-Star, stable and solid. The new pathways created during the breakthrough felt natural now, as if they had always been part of his body.
*Four months from Consolidation 9-Star to Manifestation 1-Star. Exactly on schedule.*
He opened his cultivation journal and began writing:
---
**Day 210 of Training (7 Months Total)**
**MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH: Manifestation 1-Star achieved**
**Breakthrough Method:** Direct absorption of natural lightning during storm conditions. Risky but successful. Codex methodology proven correct—primordial essence resonates with natural phenomena of matching type.
**Current Capabilities:**
- Can manifest lightning constructs independently of body
- Defensive barriers, offensive weapons, area denial techniques all accessible
- Multiple simultaneous constructs possible (current limit: 5)
- Lightning Step enhanced—can now execute while maintaining other techniques
- Combat effectiveness increased by estimated 300% compared to Consolidation 9-Star
**Control Percentage:** Approximately 40% of primordial power accessible
**Physical Condition:** Recovering well. Body adapted to transformation with minimal permanent stress. Some lingering fatigue but nothing concerning.
**Timeline Status:**
- 16 months until Academy entrance
- 5 months until Shadow Syndicate assassination attempt
- 11 months until Seraphina Nightshade's debut ball
**Next Goals:**
1. Stabilize at Manifestation 1-Star (2 weeks)
2. Advance to Manifestation 3-Star (2 months)
3. Master Second Form of Five Lightning Transformations (Lightning Clone)
4. Begin serious combat technique development
5. Prepare for intervention in capital during assassination attempt
**Critical Observation:**
Manifestation breakthrough fundamentally changed my relationship with power. At Consolidation, I was containing essence. At Manifestation, I'm projecting it. The difference is profound. I no longer feel limited by my physical body—the lightning is an extension of my will that exists independently.
This is what true power feels like.
**Strategic Planning:**
With Manifestation achieved 16 months before Academy entrance, I have significant buffer time. Can afford to take the next phase more carefully, focusing on technique mastery rather than raw advancement.
Priority: Master Lightning Clone technique within 2 months. This will give me tactical options unavailable to most cultivators. Multiple bodies means multiple attacks, perfect reconnaissance, overwhelming numbers advantage.
Secondary Priority: Begin studying higher-level techniques from the vault scrolls. Time to move beyond basic forms and develop signature abilities that will define my combat style.
---
Anthonio closed the journal and stored it. Today would be the first day of his training as a Manifestation-level cultivator. Everything was different now—his power, his capabilities, his potential.
He found Selene in the courtyard, examining the damage from last night's breakthrough. The circular crater was impressive—roughly ten meters in diameter, the stone completely vaporized at the center.
"We'll need to have this repaired," Selene said. "Old Aldric is already asking questions about the 'unusual lightning strike' last night."
"Tell him it was natural phenomena. The Crimson Mountains are known for strange storms." Anthonio moved to the crater's edge, studying his handiwork. "Actually, leave it. I want a reminder of what I achieved here."
"A monument to your breakthrough?" Selene smiled slightly. "Young master, you're developing a flair for the dramatic."
"I'm developing an appreciation for symbolism." Anthonio gestured to the crater. "When I return here years from now, after everything that's coming, I want to remember this moment. The moment I truly became powerful."
"You're not powerful yet. Not by the standards of those who will oppose you."
"True." Anthonio created a lightning sphere above his palm, watching it crackle with crimson energy. "But I'm getting there. Manifestation 1-Star at age sixteen. Most cultivators don't reach this level until their mid-twenties."
He dismissed the sphere and turned to Selene. "How is your own cultivation progressing?"
"Well. I'll break through to Sovereign 4-Star within the week." She paused. "Young master, at this rate, I'll reach Sovereign 7-Star long before you do. Are you certain you don't want me to slow down, to maintain a closer power level for training purposes?"
"Absolutely not. I want you as strong as possible." Anthonio's expression was serious. "When we enter the Academy, you'll be my hidden ace. Everyone will see you as my servant, maybe suspect you're a decent cultivator. But they won't know you're Sovereign-level. That misconception will be useful."
"And when the truth comes out?"
"By then, I'll be Sovereign-level myself. We'll reveal our true strength simultaneously." Anthonio smiled that predatory smile. "Imagine the reaction when the exiled trash and his 'servant' both turn out to be among the most powerful people in the Academy."
They spent the morning training, with Anthonio focusing on stabilizing his newly achieved Manifestation cultivation. The afternoon was dedicated to studying the Lightning Clone technique from the Five Lightning Transformations scrolls.
The theory was complex but logical. A Lightning Clone wasn't just a construct—it was a fully independent duplicate, requiring a portion of the user's consciousness to control. Creating one meant splitting your mind between two bodies, maintaining coherent thought in both simultaneously.
Most lightning cultivators could only manage one clone, and maintaining it required intense concentration that limited combat effectiveness. Masters of the technique could create three or four clones, but that was considered exceptional.
Anthonio intended to master at least five clones within two months.
---
**Six Weeks Later**
"Again!" Anthonio commanded.
In the training courtyard, five perfect copies of Anthonio stood in formation. They moved in perfect synchronization, executing a complex combat kata that involved the Lightning Step, barrier creation, and offensive constructs.
Then, at Anthonio's mental command, they broke formation. Each clone attacked from a different vector, some using Lightning Step to flank, others creating barriers to control space, still others launching lightning spears at designated targets.
It was chaos. Beautiful, controlled chaos.
After two minutes of intensive combat simulation, Anthonio dismissed all five clones simultaneously. They dissolved into crimson electricity that flowed back into his body, returning the consciousness fragments he had invested in their creation.
Selene, who had been observing from the sidelines, clapped slowly.
"Six weeks from first attempt to perfect five-clone control. Young master, you've achieved in a month and a half what takes most cultivators five years."
"The Primordial Red Lightning makes it easier," Anthonio said, though he was breathing hard from the exertion. "Creating lightning constructs is natural for me. The clones are just more complex versions of the same principle."
He had advanced to Manifestation 3-Star two weeks ago, and the increased power level had made maintaining multiple clones significantly easier. With forty-five percent of his primordial power now accessible, he could sustain five clones for up to ten minutes before exhaustion.
"How do they feel?" Selene asked. "Controlling multiple bodies simultaneously."
"Strange at first. Now it's becoming natural." Anthonio created a single clone, having it stand beside him. "Each clone has its own perspective, its own sensory input. I experience everything from multiple viewpoints at once. It should be overwhelming, but somehow my mind has adapted."
"That's the Primordial Red Lightning's influence," Selene observed. "Primordial essence doesn't just enhance your power—it enhances your cognitive capacity to match. You're literally thinking faster, processing more information, because your brain is being restructured by the essence flowing through it."
Anthonio dismissed the clone, considering this. It made sense. He had noticed his thoughts becoming clearer, sharper, more organized over the past months. His memory had improved to the point of being nearly perfect. His ability to multitask had increased dramatically.
He was becoming something more than human. Not quite, but the process had begun.
*And I'm only at Manifestation 3-Star,* Anthonio thought. *What will I become at Transcendence? At Sovereign? At Emperor level?*
Questions for another time.
"Young master," Selene said, her tone shifting to something more serious. "We need to discuss the timeline. In three months, the Shadow Syndicate will attempt to assassinate your father. You said you intend to intervene."
"I do."
"Then we need to plan carefully. The assassination attempt will involve multiple Transcendence-level operatives. Your father's guards will be Manifestation-level at best. If you intervene too obviously, questions will be asked about where you gained such power."
Anthonio had been thinking about this problem for weeks. The assassination attempt was a crucial plot point—in the original timeline, Kael Stormborn would have been passing through the capital at exactly the right moment to save Duke Marcus. The grateful father would have rewarded him with access to the Crimsonhart family vaults, where several important artifacts were hidden.
Anthonio intended to prevent that connection from forming. But doing so without revealing his power required careful strategy.
"I won't intervene directly," Anthonio said. "Instead, I'll provide anonymous intelligence to Father's security forces. Details about the Syndicate's plan, timing, entry points. Enough information that they can prepare an adequate defense."
"And if the intelligence isn't enough? If the assassination attempt still succeeds despite the warning?"
"Then I intervene personally, but using the Lightning Clone technique." Anthonio smiled. "I'll send a clone to the capital, have it save Father while disguised by the lightning transformation. No one will know it's me. They'll think some mysterious lightning cultivator happened to be present."
"That could work," Selene said slowly. "But it requires perfect execution. One mistake, one moment where someone recognizes you..."
"I won't make mistakes." Anthonio's eyes gleamed with confidence. "I've spent seven months training for exactly these kinds of scenarios. By the time the assassination attempt occurs, I'll be at Manifestation 5-Star minimum. Maybe 6-Star if I push hard. At that level, with the Lightning Clone technique mastered, I'll have tactical options the assassins can't predict."
They spent the rest of the afternoon planning contingencies. Selene would travel to the capital ahead of time, establishing surveillance on the Crimsonhart estate and the Shadow Syndicate's known safe houses. She would identify the assassins, track their movements, and send regular reports back to the Pavilion.
When the attempt began, Anthonio would know immediately. He could have a Lightning Clone in the capital within minutes—the Lightning Step, when used aggressively, could cover enormous distances by chaining multiple transformations together.
"It's a solid plan," Selene finally conceded. "High risk, but manageable. And if we succeed, Kael Stormborn loses a crucial connection to the Crimsonhart family."
"Exactly." Anthonio created five clones simultaneously, having them execute a complex combat formation around the courtyard. "One opportunity stolen from the protagonist. The first of many."
---
**Three Months Later (Ten Months Total Training)**
Anthonio stood on the highest peak of the Crimson Mountains, overlooking the capital in the distance. The city was a glittering jewel in the late afternoon sun, beautiful and completely unaware of what was about to happen.
In his hand, a communication crystal pulsed with Selene's spiritual imprint. She had sent the signal thirty minutes ago: *The assassination attempt begins tonight.*
Anthonio had been preparing for this moment for months. He was now Manifestation 6-Star, having pushed through three advancement levels in the past ten weeks. His control over the Primordial Red Lightning had reached sixty percent—enough to create and maintain eight Lightning Clones simultaneously.
Tonight, he would only need one.
He activated the communication crystal. "I received your signal. Status?"
Selene's voice came through, slightly distorted by distance. "Six assassins identified. All Transcendence-level. They'll strike during the midnight hour when the guard rotation changes. Entry point confirmed as the eastern wall, exactly as you predicted."
"Have you alerted Father's security?"
"The anonymous message was delivered three days ago, as planned. They've increased patrols and stationed additional guards at vulnerable points. But young master, the assassins are professionals. Even with preparation, Duke Marcus's forces might not be enough."
"Then I'll be ready to intervene." Anthonio checked the Ring of Crimson Shadows, ensuring it was suppressing his cultivation aura perfectly. "I'll create a Lightning Clone and have it positioned near the estate before the attack begins. If your father's guards can handle the situation, I'll remain hidden. If they can't..."
"You'll save him while remaining anonymous."
"Exactly."
"Young master, be careful. The Shadow Syndicate doesn't forgive interference. If they realize someone sabotaged their assassination, they'll investigate. They might discover your involvement."
"Let them investigate." Anthonio's smile was cold. "They'll find nothing. Just a mysterious lightning cultivator who disappeared as quickly as he appeared."
He ended the communication and began his preparation. Creating a Lightning Clone at this distance would require significant power, but he had practiced this exact scenario dozens of times over the past months.
Anthonio settled into meditation, focusing inward. His consciousness split, a fragment of his awareness separating from the whole. It was a strange sensation, like tearing off a piece of his soul, but he had grown accustomed to it.
The Lightning Clone manifested beside him, a perfect duplicate down to the last detail. Anthonio opened his eyes—both sets of eyes, seeing from two perspectives simultaneously.
"Go," he told his clone. "Save my father. Prevent the connection to Kael Stormborn. And make sure no one discovers your true identity."
The clone nodded, then transformed into pure lightning and shot toward the capital at impossible speed. Anthonio maintained the connection, experiencing everything the clone experienced, seeing through its eyes while remaining physically present on the mountain peak.
*This is it,* he thought. *The first time I actively change the timeline. The first opportunity I steal from the protagonist.*
*The first step in rewriting the story completely.*
---
**To Be Continued...**
---
**END OF CHAPTER 7**
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