2 weeks had passed before Loren realised, and May had arrived. He had spent his time with the same routine, helping build a confessional and watchtower for the church while constantly having his mana course through his body. His control over 'Compression' had slowly but surely increased, Loren could now use all of his mana in body enhancement without any leakage, but he still saw the blue wisps when using mana surge.
Loren was in his room, intermittently realising short bursts of mana surges, hoping he could contain his mana, but to no avail.
"Isn't it time for you to head back? Rito only said you needed to control body enhancement, not mana surge fully."
Salrie hovered around Loren, her head resting in her palms as he swung her legs.
"I know that, but it's annoying that I can't use mana surge along with 'compression'."
Loren fell to his bed, he was aware it was probably time to attend school again, but he had a secret desire to go beyond the goal Rito had set for him, he wanted to see the man with a shocked expression.
"It's already been half a week since you mastered 'compression', maybe Rito has a way to help you with mana surge. We can't just waste our time like this."
Nodding his head, Loren reluctantly agreed to go to class the next day, now thinking about the 2 mana arts Rito promised to teach him.
***
When Loren appeared in class the next day many students looked surprised, it was evident that Rito hadn't told the students why he had left class. Some looked as though they were looking at a ghost.
Seeing Loren return, Loot jumped on his back, wrapping his arm around his shoulder.
"Loren! Where've you been? I was worried Rito did you in like I said."
Smiling as he saw his Orlandian friend, Loren pushed Loot's hand off his shoulder.
"I had an awesome special training regime, just watch your jaws gonna drop in sparing class. Where's Rito?"
"Behind you."
"WAH!"
Jumping in surprise, Loren turned to see his master standing behind him.
"Have you finished learning 'Compression'?"
Loren nodded his head, making Rito beckon him to the field.
"Show me."
Closing his eyes to focus, Loren activated body enhancement. As his mana continuously spread throughout his body, Loren forced and compressed his mana together, causing it to condense within his body.
Rito circled Loren, seeing that he no longer gave off blue wisps when using his mana, he nodded his head with satisfaction.
"2 weeks, that's within my expectations, any longer and I would've been disappointed. Now, as I promised, I'll show you how to use two mana arts."
Clenching his fists, Loren stared at Rito in anticipation. He had spent two weeks curious about what his master would teach him.
"The first is 'Dynamic Mana Movement'."
Loren pursed his lips. "What? I already know that."
"Yes you do, but you aren't using it properly. Loren, what do you think mana is?"
"Mana? It's the life force of all things right?"
Shaking his head, Rito explained. "That's what most people believe, but how can that be true when even a rock on the side of the road contains mana? Mana is the essence of all things, it is life and death, and it is the very purpose all things have. All things are comprised of mana. The mana contained within us that we wield is a shapeless, formless version of mana."
Rito pushed mana into his hand, forcing it out of his body and making it float in his palm.
"When you concentrate mana into a part of your body Loren, you are not simply empowering yourself. You are increasing the essence of your arms or legs, making your limbs better at their purpose. 'Dynamic Mana Movement' is an art that smoothly moves your mana while attacking, you only move your mana from one place to another, it's effective but simple."
Closing his hand, Rito got into a fighting position.
"Watch, this is the proper use of 'Dynamic Mana Movement'."
Mana coming off his foot, Rito stepped forward, dust clouds spreading into the air. His mana then travelled upwards, entering his hips and back as Rito twisted his body. Finally, the mana ended in 2 places, his shoulder and the end of his fist, as Rito gave out a punch.
The air shook, the force of his blow creating a gust of wind that blew back Loren's hair, his eyes widening in amazement.
"I used my mana three different ways just now, in my legs I simply increased their strength, in my back and shoulder I increased its flexibility and finally I made my fist harden. In just one punch, I used my mana in multiple ways, selectively improving different aspects of my body to optimize the power of my strike."
Loren swallowed his saliva, he felt as though Rito had just opened a door for him, and myriad ways to implement his mana rushed into Loren's head.
"The second mana art I'll teach you is more simple, but not any less valuable. It's called 'mana vision', it's the process of channelling mana into your eyes to see mana. The art is mostly used by mages or elementalists and many knights find it difficult to learn, but you shouldn't have that issue."
Loren guessed as to why. "Is it because my bias is disappearing?"
"Correct, you shouldn't have any issue with that, will you? You already told me you wanted to have a 2nd path, treat this as early preparation."
Shaking his head, Loren indicated that he had no issue with losing his bias.
"Good. Now that I'm going to teach you these mana arts I require one thing from you."
"What is it?"
Rito stared at Loren, his face serious and still. "Enter the top 5 of the class, today."
Loren was worried at first but quickly gave a confident smile. "That's all?"
"Yes, that's all, It'll be difficult for me to ask for anything else since I have to beat these mana arts into you, I don't want you to overexert yourself."
Loren's eye twitched. "B-beat the arts into me?"
***
Arriving at his lunch table, sat down with an aching body, the last few weeks made Loren forget how painful Rito's training was.
As he placed his tray of food on the table, Loren was surprised to see a new person had joined the group.
"Bort? You entered the 1st stage?"
Bort crossed his arms, pointing his chin to the ceiling.
"I entered last week. You thought you would be the only one entering?"
"Nah, congrats man."
Bort turned his head to face the other way, blowing air out his nose.
'This kid...'
"So Loren, what 'amazing' training did you go through, you gotta tell me?"
Deciding to ignore Bort, Loren directed his attention to Loot.
"All in good time Loot, you'll find out in sparing class. Trina, sorry but I'm coming for that 5th place spot."
"I'm not 5th anymore, he is."
Trina pointed her finger towards a short teen sitting next to her, the boy's head faced the table, his hand covering his face.
"You beat Benson?"
Loren was surprised, Benson joined the same year as Loot, and like Loot, he was likely going to enter the 2nd stage and graduate by the end of this year.
Loot was grinning ear to ear. "She didn't just beat him, she destroyed him handily. I think losing to you that one time served as great motivation for Trina."
"That's not the reason I beat Benson! I was already fighting him evenly beforehand, don't act like Loren is responsible for my achievement!" Trina yelled as she slammed the table.
Benson's head fell even lower when hearing their conversation.
"Can we stop talking about how badly I lost please?"
Patting his shoulder, Loren laughed. "Hahaha, sorry dude but you'll be going down the ladder again today, Sir Rito Rito's orders."
Benson's depressed expression quickly formed a frown. "What makes you so sure I'll lose?"
Loren leaned his face on his hand, replying in a relaxed manner.
"I already told you guys, all in good time."
The conversation moved on, the students began talking about the next week, when an exam would take place for the class. Loren wasn't worried but he glanced at Trina, remembering what her father had asked of him.
"You guys want to get together and study for the exam? I'm willing to help you guys with preparation."
"I don't know if I want to learn from a kid 4 years younger than me."
"This kid, has aced every test we've had so far, how've you done Loot?
Loot scratched the back of his neck. "Haha... I've done alright, I'm having difficulty with language though, Belmondian is a lot different Oldandian."
"I'm willing, but where'll we go to study?" Benson quickly agreed to the study group as he had trouble with mathematics.
"We can go to my home, Father has a large office he doesn't use often." Raiding her hand, Carol suggested to go to her home, to which the boys nodded their heads and agreed.
Loren turned his head and faced Trina, a smile plastered on his face.
"W-what?"
"Are you gonna join us?"
"Well, If everyone is joining..."
"Alright, Great! Let's meet at the end of the week, thanks Carol for hosting."
Not giving her time to change her mind, Loren swiftly set a date for the study group. The students all finished their meals and began to disperse.
Bort was the last to leave the table.
'Was, I invited?...'