“Will there be enough time for me to grasp it though? I don’t know if the system timer will continue to tick since I’ve broken my restrictions right now.” Shiro asked.
“Yes, if you have a look at your system interface you should be able to see that it is ticking slowly. While I cannot halt it completely, my powers are more than enough to slow it down. As for whether or not you can comprehend it, it’s entirely dependent on you since controlling time is unique in its execution. The method of controlling time could be different for everyone since it’s partially up to the user’s aptitude as well. My method might not be something you can achieve and at the same time, something you come up with might not be accessible for me.” Chronos chuckled as Shiro nodded her head.
Glancing over at her system interface, she could see that each second was now ticking by the minute which meant that each hour she spent in this room would total to only a single minute by the system standard.
“How are you achieving this?” Shiro asked curiously but Chronos shook his head.
“Explaining it would only confuse you and disturb your learning. It’s like telling you the concept of flying before you could even walk. Until we set up a proper foundation for you, I’ll avoid talking about subjects that are too out of your reach so that you don’t try to overachieve with your knowledge. I’ve had a few students in the past that died due to his curiosity.” Chronos smiled sadly.
“He wondered if he could fast forward time and I had explained some theories for him seeing that he was so diligent in his studies. However, in doing so, he attempted an experiment all too soon. Since his area of control was small, he tried to fast forward time which grew out of hand and the kingdom he was living in was destroyed due to the passage of time. Walls crumbled to ash, people died and left only bone. Time then proceeded to flow through his body and by the time I had realised what had happened, it was already too late and I couldn’t do anything to save him.” He sighed as Shiro didn’t know what to say.
“I’m not telling you this to make this awkward or to make you pity me but rather, to caution you against excessive experimentation of time.” Chronos explained.
“I understand. However, if we don’t experiment, we won’t be able to discover anything new.”
“Yes, but do so with small advances. You have to remember that time is an unstoppable force. Even in the event that it looks as though time has stopped, it is only a moment being dragged on constantly. Time is still ‘flowing’ but the moment is stopped. Time is not a concept that can be halted or at least, it can’t be to my knowledge. I have not tried to experiment with this concept since the consequences could be huge and as the god of time, there are things that not even I dare to tamper with.” Chronos smiled.
“Now then, let me ask you, what kind of control do you want? Should you be too greedy with what you desire, then time will bite back. Focus your mind on a single specialty that you desire. Whether that be reversal of time, pausing of time, divination and so on. Pick one and stick with it. My situation is unique since my divinity has allowed me a close relation with the river of time but you are different. Controlling time puts a heavy burden on you and with how much you like to stress your body, it’s best that you be careful.”
Closing her eyes at Chronos’ statement, Shiro wondered what she wanted to do. Everything that he suggested was helpful in its own right. Time was a useful concept to have and it is also because it is so convenient, that trying to use it is risky. Like the story he told, if she’s not careful, she could ruin herself with this very decision right now.
However, controlling time was something she needed if she wanted to keep going. She was scared of the watchman’s speed and power. She was fearful of more powerful beings. But even if she is scared, she understands that she needs to overcome this and her solution right now is to obtain greater power. It wasn’t a proper answer but it was something she decided on to calm her mind for now.
She could take her time figuring out the right solution to her mental state but as it stands, she still required power. Power to protect and power to conquer. In the case of the watchman and Aekari, the power to destroy.
But blind destruction would not do. It needed control.
“I want to learn how to pause time or drag out a singular moment so that it seems like time is paused but I can move however I want.” Shiro replied as Chronos nodded his head.
“That is indeed a convenient tool during combat. It is something that will help you a lot but the risks are proportionate. Of course, I understand that you would have thought this through by now so I won’t waste more time asking about your intent. I will explain how I do this and use this strand to show you the process. How you interpret this is up to you.” Chronos said as he waved his hand.
Suddenly, a tier 8 magic circle appeared as the strands gathered towards him.
“This is our flow of time. When I activate my spell, I isolate a single moment and ‘zoom’ in so that a single moment is forever magnified.” Chronos explained as two ‘cuts’ appeared on the strand.
Magnifying the isolated piece, Shiro could see that the isolated piece stays the same size but their perspective of that piece is being changed.
“This form of time stop is akin to enhancing your perceptive abilities and using mana or divine energy to reinforce your body so that you may move in this isolated place. While it seems like the isolated piece is not changing, it is actually stretching out slowly so that the burden on your body is lightened. As for the runes needed to achieve this effect, you need to make a string of runes to make sure the ‘cuts’ in time doesn’t shift ever so slightly or else this isolated space will begin to collapse, ‘resuming time’ but in turn draining your life force to compensate…”
As Chronos continued to explain his method, Shiro’s brain continued to work to its maximum efficiency.
She was unpacking all of the information and simulating different situations and variables that could potentially happen that might affect the results. Constantly asking questions that will change the direction of her simulation along with methods that might achieve the same effect. For her, she wanted a method that doesn’t burden her body but rather her surroundings.
As for Chronos, he was impressed with Shiro’s questions. All of them were large turning points or ‘breakthroughs’ that he had to achieve what he had today. For her to pick up the key problems this quickly meant that her analytical ability was off the charts. Seeing her eyes dart around the room, he knew that she was absorbing everything like a sponge but the more he was impressed, the more he felt worried in his heart. He was afraid that her eagerness might become her downfall.
With Shiro being unable to use mana or divine energy right now unless she consumed potions, they resorted to Chronos creating the simulation while Shiro explained the process.
Most of the simulations were within Chronos’ expectations as he didn’t say anything since Shiro learning for herself will make the later stages easier rather than him telling her the answers.
However, hours into their study, Shiro furrowed her brows and stood up.
“Chronos, can we scrap everything we’ve worked on and try a different model? If we continue like this my body won’t be able to take the burden. Right now I’ve already damaged my body fight after fight and while I can heal, there’s no guarantee that lasting effects won’t remain. Instead of isolating a spot, why don’t we ‘inflate’ the moment? Like a balloon, I stand in the centre while the surroundings expand. A short 1 centimetre line will stretch continuously while I, who stands in the very centre of this balloon, does not move. A single moment is stretched out around me but it does not strain my body.” Shiro suggested as Chronos paused for a moment in contemplation.
Creating a strand, he placed a mote of light in the centre before following her suggestion.
Explaining the possible runes needed, they watched as an isolated cut was inflated but the mote didn’t move. It continued to expand without affecting Shiro/ the mote of light; so the method was plausible.
“However, here is the problem. The limit of expansion and the cost of expanding the ‘strand’ in this manner. While it may not affect your physique directly, the strain of mana required is a different matter of its own.” Chronos frowned.
“Then let’s make a battery. Space and time are linked. If I store mana beforehand and use that mana in the space to fuel the expansion, it would not affect me.” Shiro replied.
“What about the limit then? What if it pops?” Chronos asked as the expansion reached the limit and shattered.
