Three days after Alexander really began trying to learn the technique from the [Asura Mantra] book—practically behind closed doors—the system finally detected the spark of the skill and came to his aid.
Ding!
[Technique attempt identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the proficiency skill |Asura|?]
"Yes," he replied without hesitation.
Ding!
[You acquired the proficiency skill |Asura|]
As soon as Alexander used his growth point to learn the skill |Asura|, its information and capabilities flooded his mind.
The moment the information stopped flowing, he felt within him the mental power corresponding to the faces of Asura.
With the technique under his belt, Alexander set the [Asura Mantra] aside and picked up the tome [Luminous Water Ascending Flow] to begin practicing its forms.
The technique combined punches, palm strikes, kicks, and evasive maneuvers—far more than simple footwork—making it difficult to maintain a smooth, harmonious flow.
Even after a month of continuous training since the end of the academy integration event, when he obtained his techniques, he still felt something was missing to achieve the true essence of his movement technique.
Even the system seemed to suggest there was something to be discovered before it could help him with the technique.
Unable to understand what was missing, Alexander asked Lucas to train him during the practical class and began using the movements from the tome [Luminous Water Ascending Flow].
With each minute of class, Lucas grew more and more startled.
His initially erratic movements became increasingly assertive until they became synchronized and harmonious.
"You can stop showing off now," said Lucas sarcastically when the class ended. "You could have just said you already learned your movement technique."
"That's the problem," he replied, annoyed. "I haven't learned it."
Noticing the confusion on Lucas’s face, Alexander explained: "I was only simulating the tome's movements… I still haven't been able to grasp its true essence."
"Impossible," argued Lucas. "I saw you in harmony with the technique…"
"That?" smiled Alexander. "A courtesy of the initial level of the |Asura| technique."
Seeing even greater astonishment on Lucas's face, he explained: "The initial level of this technique allows me to do 3 things as one, like an Asura that can speak in unison through its faces—besides allowing me to do 3 things totally independently, like an Asura's ability to see in different directions through its faces."
His explanation about his level in the skill |Asura| surprised Lucas more than his ability to simulate his movement technique and not feel its essence.
"Are you serious?" asked Lucas, somewhat skeptical. "You really managed to learn that evil thing in such a short time?"
"Only the initial level," replied Alexander sincerely. "It's not that bad. The problem is its backlash effect on people who try to force themselves to learn it is very strong."
Hearing him made Lucas fall into deep contemplation.
These words signaled the academy finally had someone who had learned that technique after so long.
Someone who could help, or at least give tips to help, others learn that technique.
"Professor," called the young man carefully. "I'll have to be absent from the academy for a while, I believe I need a natural current to train."
"Alright," replied Lucas without thinking much.
He wanted to end the conversation and go back to tell the news to his professor.
Alexander was very surprised by Lucas's quick acceptance, he didn't contest it and just left the city as fast as he could.
When Lucas realized how open-ended the request he accepted was and tried to catch up, it was too late.
His headache in the form of a student, who had long prepared for this, had already left the city.
Unsure how long he'd be away, Alexander gathered his integration event team and cleared the {Intermediate Dungeons – Advanced} of Twin City.
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He also asked Diana to stay at his residence to look after Ocean in his absence. Everything he did was quick and deliberate.
Ocean didn't like the idea of not going with him.
However, since Alexander left her with Diana, and (bribed her heavily) pleaded a lot with her, this problem was circumvented.
Since Ocean's intelligence had increased significantly, she demanded some good additional pieces of the {Steel Fangs}.
With his main problems in Twin City resolved, armed with 3 more growth points and 30 free attribute points he received from the dungeons missions, Alexander sat in a traveler's carriage and picked up the books he found in the box he obtained the day he met Cristina.
Ding!
[Active skill book identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the skill |Boost Strength|?]
Ding!
[Active skill book identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the skill |Boost Endurance|?]
Ding!
[Active skill book identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the skill |Boost Dexterity|?]
Ding!
[Active skill book identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the skill |Boost Agility|?]
Ding!
[Passive skill book identified. Do you wish to spend (1) growth point to learn the skill |Mana Barrier|?]
Since Alexander didn't have enough growth points for all these skills at the moment, he had to think hard about which to choose.
After much deliberation and reflection, Alexander chose |Boost Dexterity|, |Boost Agility|, and |Mana Barrier|.
Even though they weren’t the best skills for him, they were what he needed to help him master the technique from the tome [Luminous Water Ascending Flow].
When the knowledge and properties of the skills finished flowing into him, Alexander stabilized his mana, allocated some free attribute points, and evaluated his new skills.
[15 points added to Agility]
[15 points added to Dexterity]
[|Boost Dexterity|: Increases dexterity. Cost: 10 energy.]
[|Boost Agility|: Increases agility. Cost: 10 energy.]
[|Mana Barrier|: Synchronizes internal mana with the surrounding nature's mana to create a barrier that protects its bearer.]
Seeing the basic information of his new skills and feeling his body's dexterity increase, Alexander opened a small smile and began to practice quietly while the carriage hadn't reached its destination.
Alexander's destination was a small trading outpost intended to make money by resupplying travelers.
Not because he needed any items for himself.
This trading outpost was the closest “civilized” place to the grove and river where he wanted to train.
Arriving at the warehouse and strolling around a bit, Alexander confirmed his suspicion: he was being followed.
Pretending not to notice anything, Alexander made some purchases to replenish his supplies and headed towards the river.
About halfway there, when the group on his tail couldn't be more obvious about following him, Alexander ran into the vegetation.
Seeing Alexander flee into the vegetation, the group behind him realized they had been discovered and urged their horses to pursue him.
One of them even drew his bow and began firing arrows.
Trying to catch Alexander on a common mount was more than madness; it was impossible.
Since they didn't know this and the arrows were a separate issue, he had to leave tracks on the ground so they could follow him while still dodging the projectiles.
Feeling an arrow graze and wound his arm before opening a considerable distance from his pursuers, Alexander stopped, smiled maliciously, and assumed his goblin form.
He then changed clothes, remembering to cover his wound well not to leave any trace of blood visible, and prepared.
When his pursuers got close to where he had stopped, his goblin form jumped from behind a tree with a dagger in hand and knocked down one of his pursuers. "I don't care how many of you there are. I'll cut you down like I did with that idiot earlier."
The guy who was knocked off the horse got up somewhat dazed.
He wanted to fight, yet was stopped by his band's leader. "We aren't with anyone else. Whoever you just faced is possibly who we're looking for."
"I'm not sure about that," said Alexander suspiciously. "Just look at the clothes you're wearing."
The leader looked at his own clothes and didn't say much.
His group was indeed dressed in bandit clothes so they wouldn't be identified by third parties. "Which direction did the person you faced go?"
"How much are you willing to pay?" asked Alexander, smiling.
The group got irritated hearing Alexander talk about money—the leader just narrowed his eyes and tossed a large gold coin to Alexander.
As soon as he confirmed the coin was genuine, Alexander smiled broadly and turned to the band's leader and pointed. "He went in that direction. He couldn't have gone far with the cut I gave him."
The leader of the pursuers spotted some footprints in the indicated direction and left with his companions. Little did they know they had already sealed their fates.
Completely superior in attributes and ability to move through vegetation, Alexander began pursuing the group from afar—using |Sneak| at times, until they stopped.
When Alexander's pursuers stopped for lack of tracks, they began to fall one by one.
He unleashed his |Poisonous Mist|—with its colorless, odorless paralyzing poison—on them the moment they approached their goblin form.
As soon as his pursuers succumbed to his poison, Alexander didn't interrogate them, didn't torture them, wasn't interested in knowing who the mastermind behind everything was. He just fired an |Elemental Water Blast| even more destructive than the one he launched at the {Black Earth Scorpion}.
After confirming there were no survivors, Alexander left the area still in goblin form—in case anyone saw anything—and made his way to the river to continue training.
Alexander ended up finding some creatures while heading to the river, one of them was even 2nd evolution.
After eyeing each other for some time, they mutually decided not to engage in conflict.
Approaching the river's source, Alexander returned to his human form.
After taking a few more steps, he didn't dare get closer to the source.
Something there radiated an intangible pressure that told others to stay out of its territory.
Knowing that thing must be at least 3rd evolution, Alexander resolved to skirt the edge of its territory and enter the river a bit further ahead.
The moment he finally reached the river, Alexander took out his map and marked his approximate location with an "X" so he wouldn't get lost easily:
