The silence returned to envelop the place. The roar of the waterfall was no longer as loud as it had been moments before, or perhaps I was no longer hearing it clearly. The blue light that had enveloped my body began to fade gradually, while the mark remained etched on my chest, pulsating with a faint beat, as if it were breathing with me.
Dian stood before me, not uttering a word. His gaze was not just one of surprise... but a mixture of awe and caution.
"Daniel..."
He said my name finally, in a low voice.
"Do you feel anything strange?"
What was this? Why had he suddenly become serious?
I shrugged slowly.
"No... just a feeling of heaviness, as if my body is filled with something I don't yet know the extent of."
He took a step closer, examining the mark with his eyes, then sighed deeply.
"This is not a normal development."
Well, I knew that already.
He raised his head towards me.
"What you did under the waterfall... many have tried to touch their inner core, some have succeeded, but none have obtained power like this. This is what I've read."
I didn't respond.
I was looking at my hand, clenching and unclenching it, feeling...
"Dian."
He raised his head towards me, waiting for what I would say.
"How much time do I have left?"
"We'll leave tomorrow morning."
"So that's it."
A awkward silence fell between us, then Dian said, breaking the silence.
"Why are you looking so down? You can come back whenever you want, right?"
"Yeah, I know. But who said I'm looking down? I'm just thinking about how my training with the duke will be."
"Sigh... you shouldn't have said that, young one. Anyway, let's head back."
As we were walking back, Dian asked me:
"By the way, what was that attack?"
"Ah, that... actually, it's a sword style I invented."
"And how were you able to move without being seen? Were you really disappearing?"
"No, not exactly. It's more like manipulating shadows and angles, making the opponent misjudge the distance and position between us."
"Oh, that's amazing. A complex skill."
"And that last one, the Cold Flash... what exactly is that? No matter how I think about it, I can't imagine a human pulling it off."
I didn't respond.
"Alright, each person has their secrets. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this."
I smiled sincerely and said, "Thanks, I appreciate it."
Dian smiled, and we continued on our way, chatting. I reached my room, took a shower, and went to bed. Then I remembered I had to prepare my belongings to say goodbye to the others.
"Ugh, I'm tired."
I said in a low voice. Tomorrow would be a busy day, and I had to get up early to leave. I was excited about training with the duke. When would I get the chance to train with someone of his level? Clark Alaric, the fifth strongest in the top 10, was one of the main reasons I came here. And also, getting that thing...
As I was thinking, I fell asleep without realizing it.
I woke up early in the morning, said goodbye to the trainers, and finally, only William was left.
"Daniel, it looks like you're leaving."
"Yeah, I am."
He looked at me and smiled, his smile containing a hint of sadness.
"What's with that expression? We'll meet again at the academy, right?"
I extended my hand for a handshake, but he ignored it and suddenly hugged me. I was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and hugged him back.
"Yeah, we will."
"See you later... my friend."
After that, we parted ways. William went back to his training, and I exited the gate, where Dian was waiting for me.
"Young one, it seems you've made some friends."
Well, sort of. Except for William, the three others who stayed with me came to say goodbye. I expected it from the other two, but that bully? It seems he's changed, realizing his limits.
"Anyway, it's time to part ways."
"Yes, it is..."
I smiled and extended my hand.
"So, farewell, master..."
Dian looked at me for a moment, then smiled, his smile full of emotion.
"Yes, farewell... young one."
I boarded the carriage, moving away without looking back. That's not my style. As I was on the road, I remembered that Dian gave me a piece of paper with the requirements to master a certain technique. I opened it and started reading. "Disappearance "? What? Why is it called that? The name is strange and doesn't fit the technique's ability at all.
"Ugh, what the...? Is he kidding me?"
In the place where the instructions were supposed to be, there was only one line written:
"Just gather the etheric force and make it flow through the meridians, and gather it in your hand, or specifically your finger. Just do it. Then, direct it towards the target you want to attack. However, when fighting humans or monsters, you need to aim for the core."
This is it? I said in an angry tone.
"Is this old man kidding me for real?"
Sigh... anyway, I saw a wooden box in front of me, and since I was alone in the back of the carriage after asking the guard to leave me alone, I could try out the attack without worrying.
"Alright, let's start with a small attack."
I did as instructed, and to my surprise, it was easy. Is that why he said it depends on the user's mastery and manipulation of the ether? Anyway, let's try.
I pointed my two fingers at the box, releasing a small amount of etheric force. But what happened was shocking. The wooden box exploded.
What? Why did it explode? Is it because it's an inanimate object and not a living being? Ugh, my head hurts. Anyway, I'll practice this later. I need to rest now.
I fell asleep, exhausted, until we reached the duchy.