The Rise of the Black Plain

"Wana, your problem is that you treat your wings as parts of your body that are only useful for flying. You must think of your wings in the same way that I think of my hands or that you think of your paws.

You can use them to "slap," just as I slapped you with one of my wings earlier. Besides, your feathers aren't simple, Wana. If you use them as weapons, they could hurt someone who isn't careful..."

Minos said several things to the creature, first talking about the simplest things he had noticed while watching her move a few times before going deeper and talking about more complex possibilities she might be able to achieve with some dedication.

As expected, Minos was prepared enough to guide this level 98 creature. The Armhands didn't give their members mandatory missions that were impossible to complete. If one of them had a mandatory mission requiring them to do something, that was certainly possible to complete, given their characteristics.

Some missions would be more difficult, requiring not only time but also preparation. Others would be easier, as the guild did not want to hinder its members' progress by giving them tasks that would prevent them from doing other things.

The competition that existed at every level in this place, as well as other conditions, was enough to force its members to strive to improve themselves and benefit the guild. The organization had no reason to make the mandatory missions, which were basically designed to get someone to do the less pleasant internal services of the force, very difficult.

This mission with Wana, for example, was something her mentor would have to do if there was no way for them to pass it on to others. But an Officer would hardly agree to waste their time teaching a Recruit.

So, external members of the various ranks did all sorts of service through mandatory missions that no one inside headquarters wanted to do.

Teaching a Recruit wasn't the "worst" thing someone like Minos could do. There were missions to catalog resources, clean public streets, repair damaged equipment, etc.

The optional missions were a little better and dealt with topics that could help the guild more, so they paid merit points.

Minos was slowly learning how the guild worked, but he would know much more about this place in the future.

After guiding Wana for a while, he gave her a training method to use when she had free time.

"You will follow this method even after this mission is over. I think it will make it easier for you to control your wings. But for now, I will use something more drastic to help you understand all of this." He told her as his Soul Avatar took shape.

"I want you to stay relaxed and let me do what I want. You'll feel your strength diminishing, but that's part of the training." He said to her as a black ring appeared around her, and his innate ability began to steal her cultivation.

When Wana felt her cultivation drop from the peak of level 98 to the beginning of level 97, she felt like standing up to Minos, but she did nothing as she followed his lead. Meanwhile, she couldn't help but look at him strangely when she felt his aura reach the peak of level 97.

'What kind of fucking ability is that?' She asked herself, while she also felt her control over the energy in her surroundings diminish due to the black ring around her.

Then Minos' eyes flashed rainbow colors before they shot a beam of energy at her.

Infinite Dream!

He easily sent her into an illusory world where he made her feel her body the way he wanted.

Not only did Wana recognize the surroundings of where she had arrived, but she also felt her wings as if they were her paws, feeling much more familiar with them in this place.

"This..."

"In this illusion, you'll be able to understand reality the way I want you to, Wana. It will give you the experience to use your wings differently than what you've been doing all your life.

Even though it is an illusion, it will increase your mastery over your wings, and you will find it easier to follow the training program I've given you." Minos explained as he appeared in this illusion.

Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to meditate with his body in the real world.

The Infinite Dream gave him the ability to place several opponents in different illusions and interact with each of them simultaneously. This mental technique was perfect for dividing Minos' attention between many different tasks without one getting in the way of another or preventing him from doing other things outside the illusions.

While one of his mental versions taught Wana in this illusion, he used the time he had to meditate and further strengthen himself.

This would continue for the next two and a half hours, the time he would train Wana in the illusion he had made her enter.

At the end of his mental technique, Wana would gradually return her consciousness to the real world without having the slightest idea that Minos had spent all that time cultivating in that training room.

When she awoke from her state, she smiled at him and thanked him. "That was incredible! Even after only a few hours of training in this illusion, I feel like I've experienced everything in the real world! I feel different about my wings now!"

Minos smiled at her as he stood up. "That is normal. It's your mind that controls your wings, Wana. If we continue this training tomorrow and the day after, you should be able to train on your own after my mission ends. You will eventually improve your fighting skills."

"Hmm. Then we'll see you tomorrow at the same time as today." She agreed, eager enough to continue.

When the two saw that their time there was coming to an end, they picked up everything they had used and headed for the exit.

Wana commented to him. "Your skill is truly monstrous. I didn't think there were beings in the universe who could steal other people's cultivation. It seems to be against the rules of cultivation."

"Really? I thought there might be others like that in the universe." Minos commented.

"I have never heard of such a thing in my 2,000 years of experience outside of my home planet... But some beings can copy certain abilities or powers. You have to watch out for them. If you come across someone who can do that, kill them immediately. Such beings are hunted all over the universe."

"Oh? I'll keep that in mind. I don't want anyone else to be able to do what I can do." He thanked her.

As much as he had been there to guide her, she had advised him on many things.

So the two of them said goodbye to go and take care of their own business. They would continue their training for the next two days, but their relationship would go much further than this mission.

That was Minos' first friendship in Armhands, but he would soon make other friends as well as enemies!