The only exception to this lack of attention was Iri, who was greeted warmly by the others. This contrast made Raiden’s position even more apparent; while Iri was readily acknowledged and integrated into the group’s interactions, Raiden was largely ignored. This dynamic showed Raiden’s outsider status and highlighted the challenge of fitting into a pre-existing social structure where he had yet to establish his own connections or gain the group’s interest.

"You should try to talk with everyone; just waiting for others to be friends with you won’t cut it out," Iri whispered.

"Nah, I am fine," Raiden replied.

Iri raised her eyebrows. Raiden had his friends, but just having two of them was too little for his age. She could understand how friendships are a bit more complicated for teenagers, but he wasn’t like that yet.

She realized that, unlike most kids, he already had a business, and he trained hard as well, so he didn’t have much time to train with other kids, so he didn’t have anything in common with them. The slave kids who were freed recently were sitting in the first few levels of the tower of mastery as well.

"Why the teachers of the scholar and adept level didn’t come with us?" Raiden asked. "Some of us still would want to improve our skills, right?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"I guess I can explain how things work at the adept level," Iri rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "You can only pass it if you manage to develop a technique for each path now."

"Why isn’t that explained before? It is kind of annoying... learning the first techniques felt like something more urgent and a choice that we couldn’t mess up," Raiden said without hiding his anger for a change.

"Well, they need the young warriors to think seriously about that because not many of them ever graduate from the journeymen level," Iri explained. "Around half of them stay there forever, and they give up when they turn fifteen."

Raiden had always approached his training with unshakeable confidence. Failure was never part of his plan, and his mindset was firmly set on success. This attitude extended to his view of others as well; if he believed he could succeed, he naturally assumed that others would, too. He had never considered that failing to advance through the levels could be a real possibility for anyone, let alone a widespread issue.

In his village, the benefits of reaching higher levels had seemed abstract to him. Raiden had only seen these achievements as distant goals rather than tangible rewards. The village’s focus was more on practical tasks and immediate needs, so the higher levels were often discussed in vague terms and only among those who were in them. He had not seen many direct benefits to striving for these advanced levels beyond the general notion of becoming stronger and more skilled.

Now, as he learned more about the rigorous requirements for advancing to the scholar level, he began to grasp the true value of higher mastery. It wasn’t just about the skills themselves but about the opportunities they unlocked. Raiden speculated that reaching higher levels likely opened doors to more challenging and higher-paying jobs. The allure of greater rewards and more significant responsibilities began to make sense to him, giving him a clearer picture of why pushing through to the adept level could be worthwhile.

Understanding this, Raiden saw that striving for higher levels wasn’t just about personal achievement; it also had practical implications for his future. He started to recognize that his hard work and dedication would not only advance his skills but also bring more valuable opportunities.

"While we aren’t specialists in teaching like Altria, those on the master level can also teach you a few things about the other paths," Iri added. "So, you can ask anything."

"You are on the master level, right?" Raiden asked. "What about Altria?"

"... She is on the elite level," Iri replied, looking away, clearly annoyed.

"What about Mother and Father?" Raiden asked. "Grandmaster and council of the masters level?"

"No, they are both on the council of masters level," Iri explained.

That was odd... Harth was, without a doubt, strong, but he didn’t seem as impressive as Lenore. Maybe he was hiding his skills or something... and his specialty wasn’t direct confrontations or something, which was odd to think as well.

"What are the requirements to become a master?" Raiden asked.

"You can worry about that when you become a scholar," Iri said.

Iri’s explanation was on point. For Raiden, the next crucial step was to develop techniques for each of the paths he was learning. While the requirement might not have seemed excessively complex or advanced at first glance, it was clear that these techniques needed to be functional and effective, at least by his own standards.

Raiden understood that simply having techniques wasn’t enough; they had to be refined and practical. He didn’t want to end up with weak or ineffective techniques that would slow his progress. The idea of developing techniques that were both useful and powerful motivated him, as he knew that these would be the foundation of his true strength.

He recognized that while the techniques themselves didn’t have to be groundbreaking from the start, they needed to be well-crafted and robust. This meant dedicating time to perfecting each technique, ensuring that they were not just adequate but contributed meaningfully to his skill set.

Raiden’s focus, therefore, shifted to not just meeting the requirement but excelling in it. He knew that putting in the effort to develop strong and effective techniques for each path would be critical in demonstrating his readiness for the adept level and would solidify his position in the group.

"Well, now... what path should I choose?" Raiden thought.

In the end, the day passed and ended, and the group chose a random place to camp that would protect them from the wind. In theory, that was supposed to be an easy choice... but Raiden still wanted to choose the option that would boost his power immediately in the most efficient way.

Following the same logic as before, following the path of defense was the right thing to do. Still, it wasn’t like with Sensory Surge. Raiden needed some extra defense. He had yet to suffer any injuries, after all.

With that in mind, trying to learn a technique from the strength path seemed the best option. However, waiting for him to get hurt to decide on defense finally was foolish. He also could choose between healing and manipulation. However, after thinking about the situation, Raiden realized that his true weakness now was the short duration that he could use his techniques... if he used them both at the same time, he could only use them for ten seconds.

"Can I develop a technique that will help me recover more energy or decrease the cost of my techniques?" Raiden thought.

Raiden probably can develop techniques to help recover more energy or decrease the cost of his techniques. After thinking for a while, he realized that there was one path that could help him with that... The path of manipulation.

This path involved controlling and influencing various elements or energies. Techniques from this path could potentially be tailored to reduce the energy cost of This technique by improving efficiency in how energy is utilized or manipulated. If he couldn’t do that, he could at least develop a technique that would improve his spirit, unlike the other techniques that usually improve several of them. That would make his techniques last a bit longer.

"This will be a lot harder than controlling sand... maybe," Raiden thought. "I guess I will have to ask Iri what she thinks."

While Raiden was deep in meditation, contemplating on that issue, he was unaware of what was happening outside his tent. Iri, who had been a quiet presence during their time together, had left her tent and was now talking with a group of young warriors.

Raiden’s focus was interrupted when he glanced outside and noticed Iri engaging in lively conversation with a group that appeared to be on the adept level. This sight struck him as unusual. He had never seen Iri interacting with anyone younger than herself before; her usual interactions had been confined to those within her immediate circle or those who were directly relevant to her tasks.

The young warriors she was talking to seemed to be treating her with a mix of respect and camaraderie, which meant that she had gained significant recognition among them. Raiden speculated that her fame might have stemmed from her remarkable contributions during the war, particularly her extensive healing efforts. Her reputation as a healer who saved many lives likely earned her a place of honor and respect among her peers.

"I guess I will ask her tomorrow," Raiden thought. "For now, let’s try to improve my Aura Force a bit."

That was the slow but steady method of improving his energy reserves, but at least it was a no-brainer.