With the Frost Wraith defeated, Mira turned to her group. "I need some time alone to work on something. Rhydian, Coralia, Elenei, can you take Dominique, Hana, and Linnea and make sure they're safe?"
Elenei nodded. "We'll keep watch. Be careful, Mira."
Coralia and Rhydian also agreed, gathering the younger ones. Dominique looked like she wanted to protest but held her tongue, sensing the seriousness in Mira's tone.
Then, they walked deeper into the thicket, wanting to take this time to explore it a bit.
Left alone in the heart of the Glacial Thicket, Mira began her work. She focused her mind on the concept of a new technique – an ice-based fist technique. She wanted it to be a manifestation of her understanding of ice, something that could channel her strength and even enhance it.
The [Bone-Chilling Palm] came to mind when she thought this, but that was too weak and didn't suit her tastes.
'I would rather not create something that I'll have to replace after a few stages. It'd be for the best if it could grow with me.' Mira thought. She had no idea how to make that happen, but that's why she was here, to experiment.
She started by limiting her power to less than one percent, mindful of the destructive potential of her full strength. Keeping in mind everything she learned from the Frozen Sangfroid Temple, she began to form a layer of ice around her fists.
Then, she walked up to one of the trees and threw a punch.
Crack! BOOM!
The ice around her hand was too brittle and shattered upon impact.
'Hmm. The surface of the tree is actually quite sturdy. Even with less than one percent of my strength, I wasn't able to damage it.' Mira thought before she frowned and shrugged her shoulders. 'Well, that's good for me. The stronger they are, the better I can make my technique.'
With that said, she adjusted her approach. She concentrated on altering the density and structure of the ice, experimenting with different compositions. This was where she was beginning to understand the complexity of more powerful techniques.
'Although I can shove a bunch of ice Qi into my fists and create a gauntlet, that's not what I want. The foundation has to be strong before I start moving on to other areas. And that starts with the composition of ice that I want.'
Extending her hand, she created an ice crystal. It wasn't all that special, just a piece of ice, but it represented how, at a sub-atomic level, her ice was currently arranged. It was just a bunch of ice Qi shoved together to create a crystal.
Separating it out into a lattice, she could see more clearly that the pattern was random. Not that she could be blamed for that. They didn't teach things like chemistry in this world and she never thought to arrange her Qi in this way.
'I wonder if the reason techniques are separated into grades is because they help you create stronger compositions of the elements.' Mira wondered, curious. She'd have to do some testing on that later.
But, now she had an idea of where to start.
Using her mind to change the shape of the ice, she started working on a more stable structure that would use her Qi more efficiently. She tried arranging it into the crystal structure of a diamond, but all she got was a life-sized image of the lattice and not something usable.
'It seems this won't be as easy as I thought.' Mira grinned at that and got to work. The more difficult this was, the more worthwhile it should be in the long run… or so she believed.
However, Mira was determined to delve deeper into the intricacies of creating a new technique. The idea of an ice gauntlet that could grow with her was both challenging and exhilarating.
Hours passed as she experimented with different molecular structures. She attempted to replicate the strength and resilience of a diamond lattice using ice Qi. Each attempt brought her closer, but the complexity of manipulating the structure at such a microscopic level was immense.
"Come on," Mira muttered to herself, focusing her Qi. She visualized the lattice structure, trying to align the ice crystals in a pattern that would maximize both strength and flexibility.
She formed another gauntlet around her fist, this time with the new lattice structure. Approaching a nearby tree, she took a deep breath and threw a punch.
Crack! The sound was different this time. The ice held, but the tree barely showed a dent. "Better, but not enough," she assessed, her eyes narrowing with focus.
Mira continued her relentless pursuit, refining the structure with each iteration. She realized that while the diamond lattice offered strength, it lacked the explosive potential she desired. The perfect structure would need to balance stability with the ability to release energy upon impact.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows through the icy trees, Mira finally found a breakthrough. She created a gauntlet with a complex, hybrid structure – stable enough to withstand her strength yet capable of shattering explosively under the right conditions.
She tested it again on a tree. This time, the impact was significant. The tree shook, and a moment later, the gauntlet exploded, sending a web of ice shards deep into the trunk.
"Yes!" Mira exclaimed, a triumphant smile on her face. She observed the damage closely, noting how the shards had penetrated the tree. "This is it – the prototype of the [Explosive Ice Gauntlet] Technique. Strong, yet capable of devastating damage."
But she wasn't done yet. A technique was more than just its physical manifestation. Mira needed to integrate the Ice Gauntlet into her fighting style, practicing various strikes and combinations.
'I don't just want something that can cover my fists. I want something that's simple, uses a minimal amount of Qi, yet can still deal an annoying amount of damage under the right circumstances.'
One of her ideas was to have the ice explode upon impact, lodging its way into her opponent's wounds and ripping them open even more. She wanted something where if her punches caused almost no physical damage, the gauntlets would remain, but once there was any like a fractured bone, they would explode and enter that fracture, creating a weak point.
Mira also needed to integrate the technique into her fighting style just to make sure it was viable. They needed to work under imperfect conditions.
After coming to a decision, Mira got in position and launched herself at the nearest tree.
She moved fluidly between attacks, the ice gauntlet forming and reforming with each motion. She tested its limits, pushing herself to adapt to its unique properties.
As night fell, Mira stood amidst a field of ice-ravaged trees, her breath coming out in misty clouds. She felt a sense of accomplishment, a deep satisfaction in creating something that was uniquely hers.
'...But, it's still not enough.' Mira shook her head. 'This isn't even 1% of what I'm capable of. If I want to make this technique usable, I have to scale up the power output.'
She had a feeling that'd be more difficult than creating the technique.
Incrementally, she began to increase her power output, keenly observing the effects on the Ice Gauntlet with each enhancement.
At two percent power, the ice maintained its structure, but she noticed a slight delay in the gauntlet's reformation after each explosion. Mira paused, considering the problem. "It's a matter of Qi flow," she mused aloud. Adjusting the Qi channels within the gauntlet, she tried again. The delay was reduced, but it wasn't perfect yet. She made a mental note to refine this further.
Moving to five percent, the stability of the gauntlet began to waver. The explosions were more potent, but the ice started showing signs of stress fractures even before impact. "The structure needs reinforcement at higher power levels," Mira deduced. She experimented with denser lattice formations, integrating layers that could absorb her increasing strength.
At ten percent, Mira faced a new challenge. The gauntlet's explosive release was now too violent, causing collateral damage that could be detrimental in a real battle. "Control, I need more control over the explosion," she muttered, concentrating on creating a focused burst upon impact rather than a widespread shatter.
She continued this meticulous process, gradually increasing her power and adapting the gauntlet accordingly. By fifteen percent, Mira had developed a nuanced understanding of the gauntlet's behavior under stress. She fine-tuned the Qi pathways, allowing for quicker formation and more controlled explosions.
Twenty percent brought about the challenge of maintaining the gauntlet's integrity over longer periods. The continuous formation and explosion of the ice began to drain her Qi at a faster rate than she anticipated. "It's not just about power; it's about efficiency," she realized. Mira worked on optimizing the Qi consumption, ensuring the gauntlet could be sustained in prolonged battles.
As she approached twenty-five percent, the true potential of the Explosive Ice Gauntlet began to manifest. The gauntlet was now a seamless extension of her will, exploding with precision and reforming with minimal Qi expenditure.
Satisfied with the progress, Mira decided to push her limits. She gradually increased her power output, reaching thirty percent. The gauntlet held firm, its explosions devastating. Trees around her were now not just cracked but utterly demolished by the force of her strikes.
At this level, Mira noticed a significant drain on her Qi reserves whenever it exploded. "The technique is powerful, but it can't be overused. I must be strategic about when to deploy it. However, I might be able to decrease the consumption if I add in another factor. Maybe a different element?" she concluded.
With that in mind, Mira continued demolishing droves of trees to perfect her technique and make it usable at 100% of her total power.
