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Chapter 131 Chapter 30.4 - Conversation

A person can be strong, but they may not necessarily be able to utilize that strength in the best way.

But, as we live our lives and age, by our nature, we develop and evolve. And, as we evolve, we gradually get better at utilizing things that are gifted to us from the start.

This was the same as my [Perceptive Insight].

The trait that enabled me to grasp the essence of the \'things\' that I had \'observed\' and I had \'studied\' faster than normal.

I had been training with my dagger, with my bow skills, and with my mana control, utilizing this trait while observing how other people did, but as I used the trait more and more, I realized that my trait wasn\'t limited to things like swinging weapons or combat.

I could get better at things related to daily life or utility. Like how to run in the most optimal posture, how to make a meal without giving up a huge amount of time, how to sleep in the wilderness with your guard up, how to scan the terrain to get a better position, how to stretch and train my muscles for optimal body...

The examples could go on like that, but essentially, my trait\'s only limit was actually my own thoughts and myself.

And, while I was training with Ethan and sparring with him, I realized one thing. He was actually reading my moves in such a way that his body was moving on its own.

As if, rather than thinking about how he needed to move to evade or deflect my attack, something else was doing it for him.

\'He is a real protagonist.\'

It was something that I had never encountered before and something that differed Ethan from other people in this world.

If he was the protagonist of this world, then he was bound to be different, and that was now showing itself.

He had the talent in combat that could be easily seen. But what was that talent, I asked myself.

The answer that I came up with was the thing that people in this world called \'Mirage.\'

It was not something that was known worldwide but something only a handful of close combatants knew.

Those who had the talent to \'feel\' their weapon instinctively.

As if they knew what to do even before they could see or sense. If this were a video game, people would call it script.

But identifying something and understanding how it worked were two different things, especially when it came to things that I couldn\'t directly see with my eyes.

Things that were more like a \'concept.\'

However, while continuously parrying his attacks and getting hit, suddenly, a thought came into my head.

\'What if I can perceive how he does it?\'

That what-if question was the tiny spark that ignited the idea in my head.

If I could get how Ethan was able to do it somehow, that meant I could also do it like Ethan did, and more importantly, I could create something to counter it.

And thus, for me, the second phase of the spar started.

As I was pushed back by his spear, at first, nothing came into my mind, as if what I was doing was pointless.

However, as I continued to fight with him and tried to attack, gradually, things started appearing in my mind.

As if something was telling me to defend in this state…..

Or it was a thread that appeared randomly and stated when I should have attacked. But even then, it was not complete.

I wasn\'t able to keep up with Ethan\'s way of doing that and the way his spear moved.

But, at that one strike, when his spear stabbed me three times.

At the third stab, I was able to \'feel\' it. And, my dagger moved on its own to parry the attack. I was able to glance at that Mirage even for one second.

However, was that enough?

If I and Ethan had the same thing, then he would surely be able to counter the attack I was going to follow with.

Then, another \'feeling\' appeared in my mind, different from the previous one. And, as if to showcase that feeling, this time, I moved my body. First, it was a palm, and then it was a dagger strike.

But I instinctively knew Ethan wouldn\'t be able to sense it, let alone understand it because it was my own interpretation of countering the Mirage.

*******

"You should never stop doubting Ethan."

I said as I retracted my dagger from Ethan\'s neck.

\'It hurts.\'

My arm was hurting, and it was shaking. My body was tired from the continuous spar, and my low constitution was now showing its deficiency.

"I should never stop doubting, huh?" Ethan mumbled as he grabbed his spear, pointing to the ground. "You are right." He had a slight smile on his face as he said that. "I guess nothing is indomitable in this world."

Different from me, Ethan wasn\'t that tired, and neither was he injured that much. I was able to land a bunch of hits on him, but none of them went past his skin and were strong enough.

"Then, should we call it a day?" Ethan asked, looking at my arm.

"We should," I answered. I could grab a potion and heal myself, but I needed some things to think about, and I didn\'t want to talk any longer.

"See you later then." As Ethan said those words, I grabbed my bag and left the room with my arm in pain, walking to my own room.

********

"What a crazy guy," Ethan mumbled after Astron left. "But, it was an eye-opener."

For him, who had just recently discovered how it \'felt,\' he was excited like a child finding a new toy.

But, now, that excitement was cooled down.

"They are your enemy, huh?"

He raised his spear once again as he mumbled while opening a certain app on his watch.

"I really wonder what happened to you."

The curiosity grew, but Ethan wasn\'t someone to disrespect other people\'s boundaries just because he was curious.

"Let\'s wait until you open yourself."

[Single Training Mode activated. Stage 5. 10 seconds to start.]

With those words, he activated the training mode of the room as golems appeared in front of him.

Just like the guy who left, Ethan was apparently a training maniac as well.

******

[Horde: Sir, the items you have requested us to sell have been sold.]

Sitting in my room, I was looking at the message that came from the special hacker group I had hired.

[Good. Were there any obstacles or any way to trace back?]

[Horde: No, sir. We are sure there wasn\'t anything that could be suspected. As you requested, we made it so that the dungeon materials you had sent were sold under the name of Blackthorns, and we are sure even their own employees can differentiate it.]

[Well done. Keep the money in that account; I will contact you when I need cash."

[Horde: Understood.]

As I closed the message, I looked at the gun in my hand.

"The money is slowly flowing."

I sent some of the items to Horde, as they were rather easy to find, and opted them to sell those.

"But, two hundred thousand Valer, huh?"

Considering the fact that Irina was able to simply give me 150k Valer without getting stingy, it was clear that this amount of money was not that much.

However, it was enough to invest.

"Adding the money that will soon come from Emily\'s guild, it should be enough to play with the stocks for a while."

As I had said, my [Perceptive Insight] enabled me to understand things faster, and that also applied the analysis of the stock market.

Even though it was rather a gamble and contained a lot of risks, as I studied the stocks, I gradually got better at it.

"At the end of this semester, I will be rich enough."

With that thought, I started wandering in the stock market as the time to go to sleep approached.

*******

<Wednesday Morning>

Inside the bustling grounds of the academy grounds, the site of the practical lessons was filled with students.

Some had sleepy expressions, while others had excited ones.

As they gathered, whispers and conversations swirled among the students, particularly about their recent joint dungeon practice.

"Ugh, I got the lowest grade in the last joint dungeon. I hope this one goes better," one student confessed, a hint of concern in their voice.

Another student chimed in, "I heard the grading was pretty harsh last time. I don\'t want another bad score."

A third student held a hint of pride, saying, "I did decently, but this time, I\'m aiming for a perfect score. We need all the points we can get."

As they discussed their past performances and aspirations for the upcoming practical lesson, there was a mix of determination and trepidation in the students\' voices.

One drowsy student interjected, "What\'s even the point of striving for high grades? They don\'t measure our true talents."

A fellow student teasingly responded, "Coming from someone ranked 87th, Julia, it doesn\'t carry much weight."

Julia let out a nonchalant yawn. "I don\'t need to convince anyone. I just want to sleep."

Her peer inquired, "What kept you up last night?"

Julia chuckled, "I was playing that new game."

"New game? Tell me more."

"The one where you can fight to your heart\'s content."

Amid the students\' chatter, a commanding presence suddenly made itself known.

"Attention."

It was their stern instructor, Professor Eleanor, who had silenced the discussions.

"As you all know, mid-terms are approaching, and we are about to enter the second half of our semester." Professor Eleanor\'s words carried the weight of responsibility, anchoring the students\' focus on the academic journey ahead.

"As we progress into the second half of our semester," Professor Eleanor continued, her gaze sweeping across the assembled students, "there will be some adjustments to your sparring partners. This change is designed to enhance your training and provide you with a broader perspective on combat."

A murmur of curiosity and excitement rippled through the students. The prospect of encountering new sparring partners brought a sense of anticipation.

"I encourage all of you to use this opportunity to challenge yourselves," Professor Eleanor urged, her stern expression softening slightly. "Embrace new perspectives and strategies. It\'s through such diversity that we grow and improve."

She paused for a moment before delivering a stern reminder. "However, this doesn\'t mean you should neglect your studies. Mid-term exams are approaching, and your academic performance is just as important. Do not underestimate the value of knowledge in becoming well-rounded warriors."

With her final words of encouragement, Professor Eleanor raised the paper in her hand.

"And now, I am going to announce everyone\'s sparring partner for today."