Chapter 676: Long Way

Over the next few days, Clyde devoted most of his time to training. Sometimes he joined Mina, Samuel, and the others for practice, sharpening his combat skills alongside the team. Other times he trained alone, preferring the quiet of an open field where he could focus without drawing unnecessary attention.

Whenever he trained with others, he relied on his usual abilities.

He used his longsword, Pure Lightning, and Burning Hand skill like usual, keeping the power he received from Seff a secret.

There was no reason to reveal another card in his hand when he still knew so little about the goddess residing within his soul or what other people might think.

His private training sessions were different.

In the empty grassy dimension where the Sivagadh Fortress dweller often practiced, Clyde stood among the endless fields and extended his hand toward the ground.

Green light gathered around his fingers, spreading across the grass like ripples on water. The plants beneath his feet began to move, their slender blades bending toward him as though responding to an invisible command.

Clyde slowly closed his fingers. The grass twisted and coiled, several vines emerging from the earth and wrapping around a nearby stone. With another small gesture, the vines tightened until the stone cracked.

"Not bad," Clyde muttered.

He released his control, allowing the plants to return to their natural positions.

This power was fundamentally different from the abilities he already possessed. Rather than relying on destructive energy, Seff’s power allowed him to manipulate nature. He could control plants and absorb their energy to replenish his stamina, for now.

It wasn’t an ability designed just for combat, but the potential was considerable. In a prolonged battle, the ability to recover his stamina from surrounding vegetation could give him an advantage over opponents who relied on their own limited reserves.

"You’re still being too forceful," Seff’s voice suddenly sounded inside his mind. "You’re treating the plants as tools you need to control rather than living things you need to guide."

Clyde glanced at the grass around him. "Does that distinction really matter?"

"Of course. Plants respond to your power, but forcing your will upon them wastes energy. You should learn to guide their growth instead of commanding every movement."

"Then show me how."

A soft laugh echoed through his mind. "You certainly don’t waste time."

"I didn’t agree to let you reside in my soul just to listen to your vague advice."

"Impatient as ever."

Despite her words, Seff continued guiding him through the finer aspects of her power.

She explained how to sense the vitality flowing through plants, how to draw upon that magic energy without damaging them unnecessarily, and how to distribute her power through multiple vines without exhausting himself.

As the days passed, Clyde gradually improved. His control became more precise, and the energy he spent manipulating plants decreased.

He also discovered that different plants offered different amounts of vitality, although he still needed more practice to understand the limits of this ability.

Seff occasionally reminded him that her current condition restricted the power she could provide.

"Once my existence stabilizes, I will be able to give you more," she explained during one of their training sessions. "What you have now is only a fraction of my former power."

"How much more?" Clyde asked, eager.

"That depends on how quickly I recover."

Clyde clicked his tongue. "So there’s no guarantee."

"I never promised you an immediate miracle. You know that already."

He couldn’t argue with that.

Still, their arrangement worked better than he initially expected. Seff had a clear objective: she wanted to preserve her existence and eventually regain her former form and strength.

Clyde wanted power and information that could help him destroy the Higher Beings. As long as their interests remained aligned, cooperation was the most sensible choice.

He didn’t trust her completely, but he no longer regarded her presence as an immediate threat. For now, she was a valuable ally living within his soul, and he intended to make full use of her knowledge.

One afternoon, while Clyde practiced in the grassy dimension, Seff suddenly fell silent.

He stood in the middle of the field with several vines suspended in the air around him. When her usual commentary failed to arrive, he lowered his hand and frowned.

"What is it?"

"I just remembered something."

Clyde immediately turned his attention inward. "Something about the Ancient One?"

"...Possibly."

The answer caught his interest. He dismissed the vines and sat down on the grass, giving her his full attention.

"Tell me about it," he demanded.

Seff remained quiet for several seconds, as though searching through memories buried beneath layers of time.

"I remember encountering the Ancient One a very long time ago," she finally said. "I cannot recall the circumstances clearly, but I remember its presence. It was unlike anything else I have seen."

Clyde’s expression grew serious. "What did he look like? Where did you meet him? What did you talk about?"

"Slow down. I said I remembered something, not everything." Seff sounded slightly exasperated. "My memories are fragmented. I can sense that the encounter was important, but the details are still unclear for now."

Clyde rubbed his forehead. "Can you recover them sooner?"

"I don’t know. Perhaps as my existence stabilizes, more of my memories will return. But I cannot promise anything."

For a moment, Clyde stared across the endless grass, considering her words. The Ancient One was one of the greatest mysteries surrounding his power and resurrection, and every possible clue mattered. Yet Seff couldn’t provide the answers he wanted, at least not now.

He let out a long sigh. "So we’re back to waiting."

"Recovering memories takes time. Even for a goddess. And I’m a dying goddess."

Clyde just grunted, and sighed.

Seff laughed softly, apparently amused by his frustration.

Clyde eventually rose to his feet and brushed the grass from his clothes. He still had plenty to learn about Seff’s power and his search for answers was far from over.

If her memories returned, they might reveal something crucial about the Ancient One. Until then, he would only need to continue training and growing stronger.

He extended his hand again, and the grass around him began to sway.

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