Chapter 86
Standing opposed to the three kids, Auserre couldn’t help but feel a measure of admiration mixed with a hint of disbelief. These kids—particularly the oldest, who couldn’t be older than 15—were displaying more power than most recruit class could dream of. And yet, they had barely scratched the surface of their true potential.
The rain fell gently around her, almost placating in its softness. It mirrored the tension building in the air as she stood across from the trio, each of them more impressive than the last. In the first phase of the spar, they had already demonstrated a level of control and skill that most soldier class could only wish for. But Auserre could sense there was still so much more they were holding back.
If she continued fighting them at their current strength—recruit class level—it wouldn’t be long before she was overwhelmed by their potential. They were quickly outgrowing the confines of what she could challenge at this level.
But in this realization, Auserre saw an opportunity. She had learned from their attacks, observed their force alignment comprehension, and understood the basic foundations of their growth. Now, it was time to teach them something they didn’t yet know. It was time to show them how to draw out more strength from their current class—the hidden potential that could be unlocked even within the constraints of recruit class.
She was going to teach them how to push the limits of their power and how to elevate their skills beyond what they thought possible within their current status. It was time to push them into a new realm of understanding.
And if she was being honest with herself, she was a little tired of them targeting her stomach. It had been the focus of their attacks so far. Perhaps a little payback was in order—a little discomfort to remind them that even the strongest can feel the sting of a fight.
With that thought, Auserre's lips curled into a faint smile, her aura flaring slightly. The time for lighthearted training was over.
“Time for your first lesson,” Auserre said, her voice taking on a mentor-like tone. “What do you guys know exactly about each stat point, the benefits and downfalls for each one, and how different combinations of stat point distribution affect your combat?”
Her goal in asking this was clear: she wanted to get a better grasp of their individual approaches to combat. In each of them, she could see a different focus, and the way they allocated their stat points was integral to how they fought.
Kei M stood with a sense of focus. He seemed to place the majority of his emphasis on agility, which complemented his Resonant Shield Spark. His combat style was built around his speed and his ability to rapidly dart around opponents. The additional strength he had was used to back up his quick movements with force, but it was his dexterity and agility that made his attacks difficult to anticipate, as he relied on fluid movement to control the flow of the fight.
Silvie, on the other hand, seemed to focus heavily on intelligence. Her control over her skills and her aether efficiency were impressive, and it was clear that her mental acuity allowed her to adjust her tactics on the fly. By distributing her stat points with an emphasis on intelligence, she was able to maximize the output of her skills while maintaining control over her physical movements. This made her combat style versatile—able to seamlessly shift between long-range and short-range combat.
Kei Y, unlike the others, appeared to have a more balanced distribution of stat points. His dexterity, agility, strength, and constitution were all well-rounded, but it was his mental stats, particularly his willpower and focus, that set him apart. His body had been honed through intense physical training, but he didn’t rely on pure brute strength. Instead, Kei Y used a combination of his physical training and mental sharpness to enhance his combat effectiveness. His balanced stats allowed him to adapt quickly to various situations, making him unpredictable in battle.
Inpu was the most interesting case. At first glance, his physique didn’t stand out much, and Auserre could easily see that he grew up without much fortune or support. However, what he lacked in physicality, he more than made up for with his intelligence. His mental stats were great, especially his intelligence, which had clearly played a crucial role in his mastery of runes. The runes he drew were precise and efficient, making him a difficult opponent to deal with despite his seeming lack of combat strength. Auserre was impressed by how his intellect allowed him to compensate for his physical limitations, making him an unexpected threat.
Kei M stepped forward confidently, ready to answer Auserre’s question with clarity. “Agility is the body’s ability to output speed and enhance reaction times,” he explained. He dashed forward with a burst of speed, moving like a blur, and his attack followed in swift succession. His body flowed seamlessly, demonstrating the raw power of agility combined with the precision of dexterity. “Dexterity,” he continued while executing the attack, “is the body’s coordination, optimizing function by synchronizing muscles and joints, ensuring that every movement complements the next.” He aimed a quick strike at Auserre, illustrating his point perfectly with fluid, rapid motions.
Silvie stepped forward next, her face calm but determined. “Intelligence draws on mental acuity,” she said, her voice steady as she controlled the flow of aether. She raised her hand, and vines surged from the ground towards Auserre, moving with controlled precision. “The stronger the intelligence stat, the more efficient the skills are cast, enhancing their control and damage output.” The vines twisted and reached towards Auserre, but they were made all the more deadly by Silvie’s skillful control, which kept them agile and responsive to her commands.
Kei Y, watching Silvie and Kei M, added, “Strength enhances the muscular system, allowing for increased physical output. The more muscle mass and tone a body has, the greater damage it can inflict.” His muscles flexed visibly as he jumped atop Silvie’s vines, launching off with remarkable force. “Constitution works similarly,” he continued, “increasing the body’s resistance to damage, reducing the impact of any attacks received.” He aimed a powerful kick at Auserre’s legs, showing the physical strength behind his stat focus.
All three of them rushed Auserre, eager to see how she would respond. The light rain that had been falling gently around her intensified slightly, acting as a barrier to their attacks, slowing them down with its subtle resistance.
But just as they closed in, Inpu acted. He drew a series of strokes in the air with his force quill, his brow furrowing in concentration as he struggled against the overwhelming task. Sweat ran down his face as he finished drawing the balance rune. “Will extends your intentions into the physical world through the control of aether,” he explained, barely catching his breath. “Charisma acts as the natural pull toward aether, making it easier to command.”
With a final stroke, he shifted fortune away from Auserre, redirecting her advantage and altering the flow of the battle. As a result, the rain lost some of its defensive properties, no longer able to impede the group’s attacks with the same effectiveness.
Seeing the opportunity, Auserre braced herself as the combined force of their attacks hit her. The rain, now diminished, had failed to fully protect her, but she quickly summoned a series of water shields to block their assault. Kei M’s rapid movements, Silvie’s vines, and Kei Y’s powerful kick all collided with the shields, creating an impressive show of force.
Auserre took the impact without flinching, though the attacks still made her take a few steps back. “Not too bad,” she said, her voice tinged with approval. She quickly assessed their actions and their growth, her eyes lingering on each of them as she continued, “You’ve all learned a lot, but there’s still much to be done. Don’t get too comfortable.” She said, eager to push them further.
As Auserre’s voice cut through the air, Kei M’s mind raced to process what she said, but before he could even catch up with her words, he found himself looking at an empty space. His heart skipped a beat as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. The air felt unnaturally still for a split second before it was shattered by Auserre’s voice again, this time directly behind him.
"You said 'Agility is the body’s ability to output speed and enhance reaction times,'" Auserre began, her voice calm yet cutting, "but that’s a surface-level insight."
Kei M froze for a moment, confusion mounting as he turned instinctively, but Auserre was already gone. No sign of movement, no shift in the air—she had simply vanished. His senses screamed in alarm as he processed the absurdity of the moment. He was already turning around when her voice interrupted his thoughts again, this time a little closer, and her words made his skin prickle with the weight of her presence.
"You’re right to think agility is your body’s ability to output speed," Auserre continued, now directly behind him, almost casually. "But if your focus remains solely on the body, then your movement speed is punished for your tunnel vision."
Kei M’s heart raced, and his mind scrambled to keep up. The words echoed in his mind, but before he could form a proper response, Auserre had already moved again, her words ringing out from another direction.
“Your movement speed isn’t only dictated by your agility stats,” Auserre lectured, her tone much like that of an instructor correcting a student. “It’s also the way you command your body to interact with the world that enhances your speed. If you can learn how to reduce the world’s influence on your body as you move, then even if your agility stat points are heavily reduced, you’ll still be able to advance quickly."
Kei M blinked, still trying to catch his breath from the sudden mental and physical disorientation. He had felt the subtle pressure of her presence each time she spoke, and his mind processed the strange, uncanny nature of her words. "Your body’s output speed is important," Auserre’s voice continued from behind him again, leaving him no time to react. "But don’t discount other factors to your speed."
Her words lingered in the air like an echo, challenging Kei M’s entire understanding of speed and agility.
Auserre appeared again, her presence smooth and unhurried as she materialized in front of Kei M. Her eyes studied him thoughtfully before she began to speak again.
"I will accept your view on dexterity," she said, her tone almost approving. "You described it as the body’s coordination, optimizing function by synchronizing muscles and joints, ensuring that every movement complements the next." A slight nod followed, signaling her acknowledgment of his words. "That’s a solid understanding," she continued, "but the importance of dexterity cannot be underestimated."
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She paused, her gaze sharpening as she stepped closer, her words now carrying more weight.
"Dexterity is not just the synchronization of muscles and joints," she explained, her voice soft yet direct. "It’s the ability to seamlessly connect every action in your body, turning individual movements into a cohesive flow. It’s what allows you to be precise, to ensure that each strike, each shift of weight, and every step you take is in perfect harmony with the next. Without dexterity, you are only a collection of unconnected motions. With it, you become an unstoppable force, each movement amplifying the next."
Her eyes softened slightly as she continued. "Imagine your body as an orchestra, each muscle and joint a different instrument. Dexterity ensures that every instrument plays in time, in harmony with the others. It gives you the ability to act swiftly and efficiently, making your actions seem effortless, even when they are complex. It is essential for optimizing the body’s full potential."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle.
"So, while strength and agility may be the building blocks of power, it’s dexterity that turns raw potential into controlled execution," Auserre finished. "It is the key that unlocks the true potential of your combat style."
The message was clear: Dexterity wasn’t just important—it was the foundation that allowed everything else to function properly. Without it, even the strongest body would falter. It was the critical element that could elevate one’s abilities to new heights.
“Oh…” Kei M said, a spark of realization lighting up his eyes as Auserre’s words sank in. The clarity of her explanation fueled his understanding, and for a moment, he stood there, absorbing the gravity of her lesson.
But before he could fully process it, Auserre was already in motion. With a fluid, almost imperceptible movement, she appeared in front of him. The air seemed to shift around her as she extended a fist—blindingly fast, aimed directly at Kei M.
In the blink of an eye, her fist collided with him, sending him crashing sideways. The force was immediate and overwhelming, sending a wave of impact through his body. His vision spun for a moment as he was knocked off balance, the sheer speed of Auserre’s strike taking him by surprise.
He barely managed to regain his footing as he skidded across the ground, his breath coming out in sharp, ragged bursts. It took him a moment to recover, his mind still reeling from the force of her attack.
Auserre stood there calmly, watching him with a quiet intensity. "This," she said, her voice cool and composed, "is what it means to truly understand dexterity. Your movements must be more than just quick or powerful. They must flow seamlessly, connected in a way that allows you to control the momentum and avoid leaving yourself open."
Kei M, now back on his feet and shaking the dizziness from his head, gave a nod of understanding. He had learned the hard way—Auserre's lesson had hit home, and he could feel the truth of it in his body. He wasn’t just learning to move; he was learning to move with purpose, with cohesion.
Auserre stood firm as Silvie's vines surged forward toward her, but before they could strike, the motion halted suddenly, like an invisible hand gripping them. Silvie blinked, confused by the sudden pause.
"Huh?" she said, her voice betraying her puzzlement.
Auserre, unruffled by the unexpected break in the flow of battle, glanced at her with a sharp gaze. "Intelligence is not just about casting your skills and being efficient with them," she said, her tone now taking on a more measured, instructive quality. "It’s also about understanding how your force interacts with the world around you."
The rain falling gently from above seemed to shift with Auserre’s words, responding subtly to the shift in focus. Silvie’s eyes flicked to her vines, still suspended in mid-air, as Auserre’s voice filled the space.
"Wondering why your vines stopped and you can’t control them? What do your vines contain?" Auserre asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.
"Water," Silvie said, her eyes widening in realization as she understood where Auserre was going with this.
"Exactly," Auserre replied, her voice calm but firm, as the rain around her began to act in response, twisting and shifting unnaturally. "You see, intelligence is not just about the efficiency and output of your skills. It’s also about understanding the components that make up those skills and how they interact with the environment around you. The water your vines contain is part of the natural world, something that can be influenced or controlled by other forces—forces like mine."
A subtle, but powerful shift in the rain’s rhythm could be felt by Silvie, as Auserre's manipulation caused the water in the air to ripple and react. Silvie’s vines, once an extension of her control, were now at the mercy of the external force, no longer behaving as expected.
"Only thinking about your skill efficiency and output will once again restrict you," Auserre continued, her gaze unwavering. "To truly understand and control your force, you must learn how it interacts with the world around you. What components are at play? For example, your vines contain water. And water, like any other element, can be controlled by outside forces—forces you may not have even considered yet."
Silvie’s realization came in a flash, and her focus sharpened. The rain under Auserre’s control started to behave erratically, showing just how much influence could be exerted over even the most basic components.
"You see, the more aware you become of your force’s connections to other forces—the more you understand how they intertwine—the more efficient you will become in wielding them," Auserre explained, her voice tinged with quiet wisdom. "The water within your vines, the earthiness in your nature force, the winds in your breath—they are all components that connect with the forces around you. Being aware of them, and learning how to manipulate those connections, is what will allow you to wield your force with true mastery."
The lesson was clear. Intelligence wasn’t just about calculating the most efficient way to use a skill—it was about awareness. Awareness of the environment, the elements, and how the forces interacted with each other. The more knowledge Silvie gained about how her force connected with the world, the more control she would have. Her vines weren’t just tools—they were extensions of the natural forces around her, and she needed to learn how those forces could be shaped, not just used.
Auserre’s gaze softened just slightly, but her voice remained firm. "The more you understand your force and how it relates to the world around you, the more powerful and efficient you become. Your skill output will increase, and you will no longer be restricted by your own tunnel vision."
“And you,” Auserre said, her gaze shifting to Kei Y as she took control of Silvie’s vines, wresting them from the girl’s control with ease. Before Silvie could react, Auserre sent the vines spiraling back at her with a force so sudden and unexpected that Silvie had no time to brace herself. The impact launched her across the training ground, sending her flying through the air, crashing into the dirt with a sharp thud.
“I’m good,” Kei Y said, trying to cancel his attack.
“Actually, you are. You were really solid. The only gap missing in your explanation is dexterity, but granted you were explaining strength and constitution, I’ll let it slide. My answer would be repeating what I told to Kei,” Auserre said, stepping forward and taking Kei Y’s attack head-on to display Kei Y’s explanation of strength and constitution. With a graceful motion, she flexed off the attack and grabbed Kei Y’s leg, using his explanation of strength and incorporating dexterity to throw him to the side, directly into Kei M.
“And you,” Auserre said, her attention now focused on Inpu. “What does it mean to extend your will into the physical world?” Her voice was calm, but the pressure in the air suddenly grew unbearable, weighing tons, and Inpu slammed down into the ground, forming a crater under him.
The weight was so intense that Inpu couldn’t respond. His entire body screamed in protest, and he couldn’t spare the energy to muster a single thought.
“You can already control your force to influence the physical world with your skills,” Auserre continued, her voice unwavering. “What makes Will so unique that it doesn’t constitute being a skill?” She asked, her tone sharpening as the weight of her presence bore down on him.
Gritting through his teeth, Inpu struggled to answer, his body still locked under the pressure. “Your will... acts as... your command,” he gasped, each word coming out with a strained effort. “It’s... a direct influence... with no reliance... on external forces...”
Inpu groaned, his bones creaking under the strain. “You... use it to control everything... through yourself... not the system...”
Auserre’s eyes glinted with approval, though her smile remained small. “Exactly,” she said, lowering the pressure just enough to let him breathe. “You’re starting to understand. Will isn’t something that can be quantified like other forces. It’s the driving force behind everything you do. And when you learn to channel it, it becomes more than a skill—it becomes your power.”
She stepped back, giving Inpu a moment to recover from the intense pressure. His body ached, but the words lingered in his mind. What he had just begun to understand wasn’t just about manipulating forces—it was about aligning his very being with the world around him, commanding it from the inside.
“And what makes charisma so useful?” Auserre asked, her voice tinged with a quiet satisfaction at Inpu’s progress. But for the moment, Inpu was stuck, unable to form an answer. His mind was racing, but his body was still reeling from the pressure Auserre had placed on him.
“Think about your friends,” Auserre continued, her tone shifting slightly. “You’ve seen the skills they’ve been using, right? Do they look tired or ready to tap out of aether? Look at them. And then, look at your aether reserves. Don’t you find it strange that they can use such powerful skills and still be fine?”
Inpu’s eyes flicked to his friends—Kei Y, Silvie, and Kei M—who were struggling to regain their footing after Auserre’s powerful counterattacks. Kei Y was trying to stand up after being thrown back, his breathing heavy as he rubbed his side. Silvie, though still alert, was trying to shake off the dazed feeling from her last failed strike. Kei M, similarly, was regaining his balance, his energy visibly taxed from the intensity of the exchange.
Despite the heavy toll the battle had taken on them, none of them appeared as drained as Inpu felt. He could see the exhaustion on their faces, but somehow, they were still moving, still ready to keep going. In contrast, his own aether reserves were depleted far quicker, and the weight of his earlier exertions was pinning him down.
Auserre’s words hit him again: charisma. It wasn’t just their skills that made them different—it was their ability to keep going, to maintain their strength despite the drain on their aether.
Auserre’s voice cut through his thoughts. “You’ve seen it now, haven’t you?” She continued, her tone almost clinical. “Your friends may seem exhausted, but they don’t show it the same way you do. Their connection to the aether, their charisma, allows them to keep going longer than you. They don’t drain their reserves because they know how to tap into the environment.”
“One of the key reasons why God Sparks seem so powerful is that they are naturally born with insanely high charisma, making aether practically begging for their attention. They rarely rely on their own reserves of Aether and channel the aether in the environment for their attacks and skills. Meaning if youre fighting a match in endurance, youre just better off running away” Auserre answered
She looked upon the kids, her student as they reflect on her words, and she couldn’t help but be proud of them
“It’s really clear to see that you three are unmatched in recruit class,” Auserre said, her gaze shifting between Kei Y, Kei M, and Silvie. Her voice was stern but filled with a certain pride. “But as you can see, you still have a ways to learn. Being unrivaled doesn't mean you've earned the right to be negligent.”
Her eyes then settled on Inpu, who was quietly reflecting on her words. “Inpu, you shouldn’t feel down or left out. Although your potential isn’t as high, you can still become a truly fearsome and powerful cultivator.”
Her words struck a chord with Inpu. Although still uncertain, a flicker of hope ignited in him. He straightened, feeling more inspired than before.
“For all the amazing things you’ve done, the level of strength I defeated you with still lies within the realm of recruit class,” Auserre continued, her voice taking on a more serious tone. “Granted, it’s at the absolute edge, but you’re still within those confines. If you can learn to master your body and your skills, as recruit class, beginner-level specialist class will become manageable for you. Whether you defeat them or not is a different story altogether,” she said, her words landing heavily on them. They could feel the weight of her experience in every syllable.
Kei Y, still catching his breath from the sparring session, raised his hand, a question clearly forming in his mind. “What about the natural form of stats?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Oh?” Auserre’s eyes sparkled with interest, a sly grin playing at the corners of her mouth. “That’s a very fun question you’ve asked,” she said, her tone suddenly shifting to one of playful intrigue. She almost seemed to relish the idea of sharing this piece of knowledge, as though Kei Y had just unlocked something hidden from view. “Well, this is a bit of a guarded secret... but I think you’ve earned a glimpse into it.”