"So, what happened last night?" Faye asked. She leans on the wall with her arms crossed as she closed her eyes. Luong didn't respond, he's constantly preoccupied with signing some paperwork and answering some sheet while monitoring the whole area. Both of them are currently underground where Nile and Luong did the incarnation transfer of his soul in order for him to regain his original power without the ring.
"Well, nothing happened. I just talked to him about his mother." Luong finally answered still while writing. Faye sighed.
"You're the worst guy in this world..." She mockingly said while staring at him.
"Hahaha, hey, that's actually rude. I just brought up the topic because he's been doing something sneaky for a while." Luong responded.
"What do you mean?" Faye asked.
"Well, he's planning to leave the program. After you told him all of the things he needed to know, he began packing up. I discussed the consequences he might face if he decided to leave right now."
"Oh... I see, well so what is his decision?"
"I told him about the premonition that the higher-ups are talking about. There will come a time where every hard work we did and for every power, we invest, it may or may not succeed. In other words, I told him that if he leaves the program, he will become powerless in the future and won't be able to save everyone around him. I told him that this is his chance of taking revenge for the one who killed his mother."
"Now that you mention it, you told me that he's actually the one who has to kill that Yama, right?" Faye asked. She approached Luong.
"Yeah, that's correct. Linda will never make something like that as a joke. She's serious about that." Luong answered in a serious voice.
"I see, so he stayed. Well, that's fine, but with his inability to process things and to adapt in his environment, it is definitely impossible for him to become stronger at this point." Faye said.
"Ah, for that, he asked me to remove his ring."
"What? Why?"
"Well, obviously because he already had a strong power in himself. The only problem is that, without any experience in training, he won't be able to use it precisely nor control his mana. Well, for me, that's actually a good decision since he can live normally without the ring's power and that will be enough for him to train both of his mindset and develop strength."
"Then how did you remove it?"
"That's uhh..." Luong twitched when Faye asked him about the process.
"Hey..." Faye frowned when she noticed it.
"Uhh... Well, I uh..." He stopped writing for a while.
"Don't tell me..." Faye approached him closer.
"Uhh..."
"You... Did you use the Incarnation Transfer?" She asked. Luong bowed as he closed his eyes.
"Y-Yes... Ma'am." he responded in a soft voice.
"Oh my god, Luong. What the hell are you thinking? You know that the machine is not yet done. And also, how can you be so sure that he can survive it!?" Faye scolded him.
"I-I-I really don't know but, hey, it worked, right? I mean, he's now using the secondary soul I prepared. That will keep his original soul locked temporarily. Besides, you don't have to worry about him. The moment I told him the effects of what he's about to get into, he didn't hesitate. He's serious about it." Luong chuckled.
"Still though, that's really dangerous. What would've happened if he didn't survive the transfer?" Faye continued.
"Relax, everything will be fine. Trust me..." He reverted back to his own nonchalant expression.
"I'll be going now, I have a class to attend to..." Faye decided to leave the underground bunker.
"Ah wait, Faye." Luong stopped her.
"What is it?" Faye glared as she turned back.
"Sorry, this is too much but uhh, I want you to tell them about the PECW Synchronization Release Project. We're almost done with the plan, we just need to demonstrate to them how it works." Luong ordered her.
"Ah, you mean the wand that turns into their own weapon?" Faye asked.
"Yeah, this kind of variation will be essential for their own training. I've talked to the other grandmasters about this as well, but some of them are busy with their class. I want you to convey it to the other grandmaster and tell them the details."
"Okay, I'll be going now." Faye finally left the scene and Luong continued to sign the paperwork.
A few weeks have passed since the program started. Everyone including the grandmasters who were teaching the Astrochist finally managed to refine their skills. After they discussed the basic spells and attributes, all of them have showed improvements within their own aptitude and spell coordination.
Aside from the development, they also learned how to control their mana without forcing their body to do so. This is done by training their bodies every day. Most of the Astrochist have trained their muscles by basic exercises and lift weighing. Meanwhile, the others have started to climb the mountain near the zone in order for them to strengthen their legs and to stretch their cardiovascular endurance.
Stell always did push-ups and muscle training. This is a required activity for Earth Elemental Users because they need a strong body to produce strong fortifications as well. Their muscles are very important to withstand the heaviness of their own spells.
Aella's training requires a calm and peaceful environment. Since she is a Wind Elemental User, her way of training is going on a hill to meditate and control her powers until it syncs with the wind as well. Most of the wind mages are able to harness mana if their environment is peaceful. It also amplifies their ability with the required concentration.
Adara's way of training is by going into the river just outside the zone. In order for her to minimize the damage, since fire's weakness is cold and water, she has to get used to her opposite element. This training is risky and should have a guide, which is why Lars is supervising her activity and training. They're from the Leo clan so they need to be aggressive with their own training as well.
On the other hand, Nile's training is a bit similar to Aella's method. He needs to have a calm surrounding and a peaceful mind. It's similar but there's a bit of a twist on his training. Water Elemental Users are sensitive to their own environment. Much like the ocean nor the sea, if there's any disturbance along the way, the flow of their kind will eventually fall within randome directions. Nile's mana is the same, if his mindset has at least a small disturbance, his concentration will fail along the way.
"Damn it!" Being mad about his inability to control his self, Nile kicked the small rock and it flicked right into the river. He sat down as he watch the flow of water slowly going on.
During his moment, a footstep can be heard approaching him. Nile heard the footstep but he didn't turn his body nor pay any attention to him. Knowing that his mother died, he's having trouble control his mindset. It's painful for him to think about the truth over and over again and he doesn't have a choice but to keep training. But how is he supposed to train if he can't get over with it?
"I got worried for a while, I didn't think that you will be training here..." A woman's voice can be heard. Nile raised his head and turned back.
It was Faye. After seeing her, Nile didn't respond and he just continued to watch the water. Faye approached him and started seating beside him. She fixed her ponytailed hair and rolled it over on her left shoulder.
"Ah... Finally, some fresh air." She raised both of her arms and stretched it while yawning.
"So... What are you doing here?" Nile got annoyed by her presence.
"Aw come on, don't be like that." Faye smiled. Nile didn't responded, still watching the flow of the water. He's still looking gloomy after all of the things that happened for the past week.
"What's wrong? Are you still thinking about 'that'?"
"..."
"Hey... Let me show you something." Faye knew what Nile is thinking at the moment. But she doesn't really know how to cheer him up. She stood up after calling Nile.
Nile stared at her.
"You noticed how those waves flow, right?" Faye asked.
"Uh... Yeah..." Nile responded as he nod.
"Those waves are just the same as your Mana. I mean, everyone's Mana." Faye said.
"What do you mean?"
"To explain this, I will show you this trick." Faye raised her hand upward. She went quiet for a brief moment and after a few seconds, All of the water that is flowing suddenly burst upward.
"AH!" Nile got shocked. He ran away and hid between the two trees. Faye opened her eyes and controlled the waves.
"What the hell is that?" Nile asked.
"That's that trick I want to show you." Faye chuckled.
"I don't get it, you literally just destroyed the flow of the water."
"That's exactly what I want you to realize." Nile gasped.
"You see, this wave of water is the same as everyone's individual mana. Everyone has their own flow of Mana inside them. What you have seen a moment ago are one example of Mana skin flow." Faye explained.
"Mana skin flow?" Nile was dumbfounded.
"Yeah. Your strength will be converted on how your mind process things. Take note that this is different from controlling your Mana. This method is mostly used indirectly without chanting a spell or any magic spell from the tree. If you visualized your Mana flowing in one direction only, you'll be able to activate your skills without concetrating. That's why it is indirect. This is how grandmasters mostly evade someone else's attack." Faye smiled as she explained to him the power of Mana Skin Flow.
Looking at Nile's expression, he seems to be in awe after seeing such powerful spell without even chanting. It's the same as what he does when he had the ring, but more advanced. Nile's capability to wield his power without chanting is based on the Ring he has that provides Mana.
"So, you're saying that if I visualized my mana going in on one direction, I'll be able to cast a spell without any problem?" Nile asked joyfully.
"That's correct. The reason why you're unable to cast a decent spell up until now is because you don't have your ring's power right now. But that's not actually the main reason. It is because you kept getting distracted by the passing of your mother." Faye said.
"..." Nile didn't responded.
"You see the point? Whenever you think about her, you're mana is not flowing on one direction. They are scattered everywhere within your mind. Your visualization is weak because you cannot get over with it." Faye approached him. She placed her left hand on Nile's shoulder.
"Listen Nile, I know that it's really hard for you to accept the truth. That is common for everyone. But you don't have to hold on into that pain, you have to use it, in order for you to become stronger. You may have lost your purpose for coming in here, but that doesn't mean that you're out of it." Faye said. Nile slowly turned his head to stare on her.
"Nile... Tell me, who are you?" She asked softly.
"I..."
"Your mother, she didn't die for you just so you can hold on within that grief. She died, because it is the only way for you to survive and live on this world. She gave you a chance, and that chance should not got to waste. Everyone has their own sad story, but that doesn't make you who you are. So tell me, Who are you?"
"I am..."
The breeze have started to swarm the area giving them some fresh air. The waves are back on its normal path. Nile raised his head as he clenched his fist.
"I am Nile, and I will be the one to kill Yama!"