As Raiden continued to interact with Altria during their training sessions, he noticed her methodical approach to teaching and mentoring. Her instructions were clear and precise, focusing on foundational techniques and principles that laid the groundwork for deeper mastery. She emphasized discipline, patience, and a thorough understanding of the fundamentals, traits that Raiden found both challenging and enlightening in equal measure.

"Next," Altria said. "It looks like you have made your choice as well. It seems that your group has some semblance of balance thanks to your hesitation. Or maybe it is because they are like this that you are like that."

"Yes, although I am not sure what my technique should be, but I think that the manipulation path will be the one which will agree with me the most," Ruth explained.

"... This is the most unknown path and people tend to avoid it, but if you truly had that kind of feeling, perhaps you indeed have some talent for it," Altria said after she studied Ruth. "The Paht of Manipulation is difficult to learn or even start with it because you need to use your Aura Force beyond your body. Trying that from the beginning it is difficult, but choosing that path to support another usually doesn’t work either. It seems that its users need to get used to that kind of difficulty from the get-go."

Altria added some details as to why the Path of Manipulation is pretty difficult. Manipulation requires precise control over the application of Aura Force on the environment and on others. Small errors in technique or timing can lead to ineffective results or even backfire, causing unwanted consequences.

Techniques involving manipulation often involve intricate movements, timing, and coordination. Mastery requires a deep understanding of how to apply Aura Force to manipulate the environment effectively without compromising one’s own position or safety.

Manipulation can be physically demanding, requiring significant energy and stamina. Sustaining manipulation over a prolonged period can strain the practitioner, making it difficult to maintain effectiveness in combat scenarios.

"Your first exercise will have to be to control the Aura Force on your hands only," Altria said. "Once you can do only that, you can come to me for the next step."

Ruth nodded. She felt quite relaxed now that she had made up her mind. Those three finally could take the next step in their journey, so it seemed that they were in sync once again.

Once the lessons were over, they went to Raiden’s home, and then, fortunately, they found Iri lazing around since she had a day off and no one was home. She gladly accepted their ask for help.

"Excuse me... how much this will cost?" Javier asked while showing a nervous smile.

"This one will be free since you are a friend of my little brother. Just don’t do anything stupid like this again," Iri said while checking the wounds in Javier’s arms. "Well, even without my warning, you probably won’t since this must have hurt a lot."

"Yes..." Javier said after flinching for a bit once he recalled the accident.

Iri carefully focused her energy, her hands hovering over Javier’s injured arms. Soft, radiant light emitted from her palms, enveloping the burn marks. As she concentrated, the damaged skin began to visibly mend. The angry redness faded, replaced by a healthy pink hue, and the blistered areas smoothed out as new skin regenerated.

Javier watched in awe as the healing progressed. The pain subsided, replaced by a soothing warmth spreading through his arms. It was clear that Iri possessed a remarkable ability, honed through years of training and practice. However, despite her skill, Javier could sense that even for Iri, healing such injuries required considerable energy and time. After a few moments, Iri withdrew her hands, her expression one of mild exhaustion.

"That should help for now," she said softly, her voice reflecting a mixture of relief and weariness. She glanced at Javier with concern, ensuring he was comfortable before taking a moment to rest herself, mindful of conserving her energy for future needs.

"Very impressive, big sis," Raiden said.

"Yeah, praise me more!" Iri said and then raised her chin while grinning from ear to ear.

"I don’t understand much of healing techniques with Aura Force , but I feel like with your talent and skill, after using it for years, you should have more energy than this," Raiden said. "Are you slacking off with your training?"

"... Not really," Iri said while looking away nervously.

Raiden couldn’t suppress a smile as he watched Iri acting like that. It reminded him of a common occurrence among those deemed geniuses. They often had a tendency to underestimate the effort required. Iri, his older sister, seemed to fall into that category, effortlessly displaying her healing abilities when needed yet possibly not fully training hard to reach her full potential.

As he observed Iri’s skillful technique, Raiden couldn’t help but feel proud of his sister. Raiden knew that behind Iri’s calm exterior and occasional nonchalant approach lay a deep commitment to her family and the village they called home. It was a reminder to him of the complexities and strengths within his family, each member contributing in their own unique way to the community and to each other’s growth.

"After two more sessions, your arms will be back to tip-top shape, come here tomorrow and after and I will heal you," Iri added. "Anyway, you guys just finished collecting some herbs, right? There isn’t much to do with your garden. Are you going to do some sculpting?"

"No, we are going to try the exercises that instructor Altria told us," Raiden explained. "We won’t do anything too dangerous, and after seeing this misstep, we have even more reasons to be cautious."

"Well, I guess I will join you since I don’t have anything else to do," Iri said.

The whole group began to focus, their faces serene as they entered a state of meditation. Each member focused inward, aligning their thoughts and energies as they prepared for the day’s training.

Throughout their meditation, they intermittently paused to practice controlling Aura Force . Despite their frequent failures in harnessing its power effectively, they persisted. Each attempt, even if unsuccessful, still required them to expend energy. This process was essential in their journey to mastering the Aura Force , teaching them valuable lessons in perseverance and resilience.

For Raiden and his friends, these exercises were not just physical but also mental and spiritual challenges. They learned to accept failures as opportunities for growth, refining their techniques with each attempt. The discipline of practicing despite setbacks showed their commitment to honing their abilities and progressing on their martial path. That was probably why none of the warriors of the village were arrogant.

"This might take a while..." Raiden thought about it when he felt his energy being spent so fast. "Maybe I need to find herbs that restore mana and multiply them." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Raiden - Lv 09 (0/900)

HP: 150/150

MP: 150/150

STA: 150/150

Strength: 45

Vitality: 30

Endurance: 25

Magic: 25

Spirit: 30

Wisdom: 30

Dexterity: 26

Quickness: 26

Perception: 30

Fortune: 98.200

Skills: Money is Power (MAX)

Magic:

Passive: Pickpocketing Lv 01, Sword Mastery Lv 01, Spear Mastery Lv 06, Alchemy Lv 07, Martial Arts Lv 01, Aura Force Lv 24

Using around half of the funds that he had profited from his business, Raiden leveled up his Aura Force . When he meditated again, he began to obtain energy faster, but controlling it was still hard.

"Maybe I should increase my spirit... with more mana, I should be able to control it more," Raiden thought. "Or perhaps with more dexterity or magic."

Perception was also a good option... either way, Raiden would have to use some fortune to make himself level up. That wasn’t a real problem, but that kind of choice would only make things a bit easier... he knew that he shouldn’t skip some important steps, but he lived in a hurry as well. Raiden also wanted to make good use of his power.

"I need an item that will help me control my Aura Force better," Raiden thought.

Finding such a relic was easier said than done, but perhaps Raiden could make one. Maybe that was a bit unrealistic, but he also needed to test his power more. He improved his spear a few times to test it, but he needed more variety.

Raiden made a decision to go shopping the day after his lessons at the Tower of Mastery. Carrying a bag filled with coins, he felt a sense of relief, knowing that his abilities wouldn’t inadvertently absorb the currency. With a clear goal in mind, he set out to find some simple items that would serve as a solid starting point for his personal experiments.

Among his purchases were a ring, an amulet, and a bracelet. Each item held significance to Raiden beyond its material worth. If they don’t help him with his experiments, he could at least resell them and earn more money if they somehow obtained some effects and the results weren’t disappointing.