Thanks to the support of his family, Raiden felt a sense of peace and motivation that fueled his training. Their encouragement and belief in his potential provided him with the strength to persist through the challenges. Knowing that they were behind him every step of the way made the process of trial and error more bearable and even enjoyable at times.

This familial support created a nurturing environment where Raiden could push his limits without fear of failure. It reinforced his belief in the value of perseverance and the importance of having a strong support system. Each day, he felt more confident in his ability to master the Path of Agility, knowing that his family was there to catch him if he stumbled.

However, as much as he valued these moments at home, Raiden knew it was time to continue his journey alongside his friends. The time he had come to head back to the Tower of Mastery, where he would meet Javier and Ruth. They had their own paths to explore, and together, they would face the challenges ahead, learning and growing as a team.

When he found those two, they looked like they didn’t sleep that much, they probably kept thinking about it during the night and only fell asleep pretty late. They didn’t have bags under their eyes, but they were bloodshot.

"It looks like you two had a hard time making your choice," Raiden said.

"I decided mine from the beginning, but then I began to guess myself second," Javier said.

"I am still not sure what I should choose..." Ruth said while looking troubled.

That was the downside of giving such choices to kids. In any case, Raiden could only shrug while looking at them without saying anything, and then he headed to the tower of mastery.

"Do you think that instructor Altria will get mad at me for not deciding what path I will follow?" Ruth asked.

"It is kind of hard to imagine her angry at all," Raiden said. "Still, I guess you will work as a good test subject for it."

"You are so mean..." Ruth said, and then she dropped her shoulders.

When Raiden and his friends arrived at the Tower of Mastery, they were surprised to find themselves twenty minutes early. Expecting to see their fellow students already gathered, they instead found that some were still missing. Without hesitation, they decided to find a quiet spot and settled down to meditate while they waited. Everyone was doing that, after all.

The atmosphere was serene as they sat in silence, preparing themselves mentally for the lessons ahead. Raiden focused on regulating his breathing, calming his mind, and maintaining a state of readiness. He could sense the anticipation building among his friends, and each lost in their own thoughts and preparations for the upcoming session.

After what felt like an eternity, but was likely only a short while, the tranquility was broken by the arrival of Instructor Altria. Her presence commanded attention as she approached the group with a calm yet authoritative demeanor. She glanced around, taking note of those present.

"Javier, Ruth, Raiden," Instructor Altria called out. "Have you all three decided what paths you should follow? If you are in doubt, you can ask me a few questions."

Ruth sighed in relief when she realized that she wasn’t in trouble. Eventually, she shared her concerns. She was training with two spears, and her training was making some progress, but it didn’t look like she felt particularly good at it.

"In that case, you should look for sparring partners and train with them as much as possible to see your strengths and weaknesses," Altria said. "Once you find them, you can think if you want to cover your bases, erase your weaknesses or make good use of your strengths and improve them."

"We already do that often..." Ruth said. "I think I am bad at taking advantage of the situation when I find an opening. As for my strength, I am good at breaking the rhythm of others, but that is only in sparring sessions with wooden weapons."

"Is that so? I guess you guys are closer than I thought," Altria said while studying Raiden and Javier. "Well, you can make your choice in the next few days without worrying too much about it. Sometimes, some people think that they make mistakes in their choices, but it is easy to restart a new path once you make some progress in the others. Focusing on one is always a good thing since it is playing on your strengths, but you can use the others at basic levels to cover your bases."

For Raiden, this meant concentrating on the Path of Agility to hone his speed, reflexes, and precision with his spear. Specialization would let him develop unique skills and techniques that set him apart from others and maximize his potential in his chosen field.

However, Altria also stressed the importance of having a basic understanding of the other paths. While deep mastery in one area is crucial, knowing the fundamentals of the other paths ensures a well-rounded skill set. This foundational knowledge can enhance versatility and adaptability in various situations.

For example, basic strength training can support faster movements and more powerful strikes, heightened perception can improve reaction times, and basic defensive techniques can increase survival chances in combat. Additionally, knowing some healing techniques can aid in recovery, and manipulation skills can provide tactical advantages.

Raiden absorbed this information, recognizing the need for balance in his training. By specializing in agility, he could leverage his natural strengths, but he also saw the value in integrating basic skills from the other paths. This approach would make him more adaptable and resilient, able to handle a wider range of challenges.

"You two seem like you have made your choice. Boys are always like that, they don’t think too much when considering their futures," Altria said and then showed a bit of a troubled expression. "Nevertheless, just inform me if you think that you have made a wrong choice; don’t be prideful about it. Otherwise, you will regret it in the future. For starters, use your head calmly and envision the technique that you two want to develop to enhance your strengths, then show me the results when you obtain them."

Everyone nodded, and then they returned to their seats. Ruth felt a growing sense of urgency as she considered her path. Watching Raiden and Javier make clear steps in their training, she worried that if she didn’t make her choice soon, she would fall behind. This fear troubled her, pushing her to consider her options more seriously. She knew that Raiden and Javier would be making significant progress and that she needed to keep up if they were to remain a team.

At that point, the group had become more independent and self-reliant within the village. They no longer depended solely on Raiden to guide them through every task or decision. Yet, despite this growing independence, they all shared a strong bond and a desire to stick together as much as possible. The thought of drifting apart due to differing levels of progress or commitment was unsettling for Ruth, and she was determined to prevent that from happening.

Ruth’s sense of camaraderie and the collective goal of mutual support drove her to make a decision. She knew that choosing a path was crucial not only for her own development but also for maintaining the unity of their group. With this realization, she resolved to focus on her strengths and select a path that would allow her to contribute effectively to their shared journey, ensuring they could continue to grow and succeed together.

"Knowing them, they will probably choose a physical path related to combat. Agility and strength are the most obvious ones," Ruth thought. "We have healers and pharmaceuticals in the village to offer support to everyone, so I guess the best support role aside from healing would be manipulation."

The path of perception also seemed like a good option, mainly for archers, but Ruth didn’t feel like changing her weapon at this point in time. She didn’t know much about that path yet, but her instincts were telling her that she could make it work with that kind of path and so, Ruth began to work on it thinking on how she could develop her own manipulation technique.

As for Raiden and Javier, they thought that coming up with their own techniques would be easy, but nothing came to mind. Starting with something basic but simple seemed like the best choice, but not even that worked.

"I want a technique that will help me move and attack faster," Raiden thought. "Easier said than done."

Raiden spent the day deep in thought, grappling with the decision of which technique he wanted to pursue. He considered the various paths and their potential benefits, reflecting on how each could enhance his abilities and complement his existing skills. Despite his earnest efforts, no clear idea or inspiration came to mind. The more he thought about it, the more troubled he became.