During this month, the focus of Acheron's training has been the two techniques he's previously picked up from the library. With 'Great Way of Water' taking much longer than 'Storm Steps'.
This was because 'Great Way of Water' completely changed one's fighting style, turning it into one that's as adaptable as water. The other reason was because this technique was using the pressure of water to attack and defend, something which Acheron found brilliant.
Mastering this technique took about ten days. Mastering 'Storm Steps' took three days. And combining everything he's learned together took the last half of the month.
Even if it seemed like a long time, this was because the key term here is mastery, which obviously included all the profoundities of these techniques that were borderline philosophical in nature. Especially concerning the 'Great Way of Water'.
This journey of understanding has also triggered Acheron's understanding of the way of combat to deepen, sprouting his own philosophy of combat.
To explain it at a deeper level, the finesse of controlling energy doesn't stop at just practice and intelligence. It stops at will, and the will of a person is represented by their experiences, their philosphy of life and world view. To put it simply, the will is represented by what they want.
In the art of combat, Acheron has learned that the only will he should have is to kill. The will to defeat the enemy in the most primal way possible. This triggers the entire brain to work for this goal. The will to kill allows the primordial hunter inside of a person to blossom in its full splendor.
This is the ultimate philosophy of combat, born from a deep understanding of how the human mind and brain work together.
After realizing his own way of combat, Acheron decided that it's time to fine-tune everything he's learned and adjust the techniques he's acquired to suit him personally. The only way to do this is through the act of seeking to kill.
Naturally, he could not train with those in the academy. He had to receive permission to enter the hunting grounds usually reserved for cultivators in the second and third academic years. This was easily done with a few back and forth emails with the faculty.
On a free day he takes a hoverbike which he had to spend about two-hundred Crimson Dragon points on, and directly travels to the hunting grounds where intermediate and late Earthly Shackles beasts tend to appear. Perfect for the cultivation level he is able to show.
Unfortunately it was impossible for him to find actual life-and-death combat, as his power level was way above what he's supposed to show. Not to mention that peak Earthly Shackles beasts were rare, even on the Marhem Planet.
The only reason he's looking to hunt was to unearth, get used to, and enhance his primal killer instincts, fusing them with his combat intelligence.
The first magical beast he's found was a giant, jet black snake, with white patches spread over its serpentile scales. Since he still hasn't picked up a weapon from the academy's armory, Acheron was planning to duke it out using the close combat techniques he's recently mastered.
'Great Way of Water' specialized in unarmed combat anyways, with only 'Storm Steps' being able to be used with any weapon, as it was merely a footwork technique.
Materializing a layer of pressurized water over his palm, Acheron uses Qi at the level of peak Foundation Building to boost the swiftness of his legs through the wind element, directly slamming his palm in the snake's abdomen.
Taking a few nimble steps back, he observes the snake's figure. It was staring at him with a furious and venomous gaze, the scales around where his palm hit beginning to fall off, with a clear palm print surrounded by bleeding flesh and burst blood vessels.
Acheron obviously used the entirety of his supposed Foundation Building cultivation. This snake was on the cusp of breaking through to peak Earthly Shackles, so not killing it in one strike is normal.
As they stared at each other, Acheron attempted to embody the will to kill, directly jumping back into vicious action. He ruthlessly slammed a water-covered punch towards its head. Not caught off-guard this time, the snake slams its tail into his punch, blocking the mortal attack.
Both of them begin fighting crazily. Acheron, using his entire body, keeps his relentless assault, using everything from his legs, knees and elbows to his hands, putting the snake in a passive position of defense. His attacks were only getting more ruthless and direct the more he fought, filling his actions with the intent to kill.
Jumping mid-air, he performs a roundhouse kick, hitting the snake straight in its skull. Blood and bone fragments burst out, with the broken bones piercing directly into the snakes brain, killing it instantly.
Covered in the blood of the snake, Acheron doesn't stop to rest. After taking out the beast's core, he continues his hunt.
Over the next six hours, Acheron continued his massacre, only stopping to eat some magical beast meat, which happened to be much more nutritious than anything he's ever eaten before. It was so filling that even a hidden feeling of emptiness he's felt in his stomach since breaking the first genetic lock was finally fulfilled.
After returning to the academy, he decides to meditate in his room and think about everything he's learned from today's battles. This really was the best way to adjust his combat style to fit his new philosophy of combat. Not to mention putting his techniques into action and changing the will which the original creators imbued them with into his own will, his own intention, killing intent.
The following week, he received news that the second year students were going to participate in experiential training. This was going to take place on, of course, the battlefield of the coalition and the Ju'ko alien species.
While a first year wasn't usually allowed to go there, Acheron still ended up applying to go. Considering what he's revealed up till now, the higher-ups of the academy might even be hoping he would do this. After all, nurturing a monstrous genius was their top priority.